Home
by penwithnopaper
Summary: Since no one else is doing Science Fiction I thought I would give it a try. Tell me what you think but try and be nice. I do this for fun and don't get paid for it. Tell me what's wrong and what's right. Just keep it clean. This story is strictly AU. - Now Complete!
1. Chapter 1

**Home**

_Chapter 1_

The admiral had been caught in the restroom. Actually nothing really happened during anyone's watch. At most there was an unannounced launch by some country. The problem countries like North Korea, Russia, or someone else were to blame for those. They didn't care what other nations thought. Or maybe that was the point. They wanted to catch everyone by surprise.

Admiral Overdun was still buckling his belt when he was finally back in his office. "What have we got?" His staff never got excited about anything and this event was no different. So this could be anything at all.

"We have an anomaly approximately 2.4 clicks from ISS," Captain Under told him.

"Let's see it." The admiral changed his vision to the largest screen. It wasn't really a visual _Let's see it. _ It was simply a tactical of a radar contact. However, what they saw showed them that it was huge. Several times larger than the ISS.

"Contact the station. I want a visual of this. Surely they can see it," the admiral ordered.

It took almost ten minutes. "Receiving video now." Captain Under put what they got up on the big screen.

"What is that?" What they were all looking at looked like a big white ball with a large ring of gasses spinning around it very fast. It resembled a mini planet Saturn save for different colors.

"Radar, where's it going?" He didn't even know what it was yet but if he was right about the size it could do a lot of damage if it hit them.

"Checking… No movement. It's stationary at 2.4 clicks from ISS," Lieutenant Rodger answered.

"Ask ISS to give me a reading. I want to know the size." He had a distance but he was equally interested in just how big it was. However, he was also concerned how it had gotten there and not been spotted earlier and how was it just sitting there.

But they all had to wait until the crew on the ISS could find the equipment, then use it, and relay what they learned to them.

"Admiral… ISS indicates that the white ball is roughly 12 miles across. The gases that are still spinning make it roughly 126 miles wide," Captain Under reported.

"Good God. Ask ISS to check their orbit. Radar, give me a reading on the ISS. Something that big has to be affecting them and forcing them down into the upper atmosphere." They would burn up and kill everyone onboard if they didn't use the escape craft compliments of the Russians.

It only took a minute. "Radar shows them as stable," Lieutenant Rodger said.

Then a moment later, "ISS confirms that their orbit is stable," Captain Under relayed.

"How is that even possible? They're only 2.4 clicks away. Something that big has to be affecting them. This makes no sense. And what is it?" It had arrived without being seen and it was just sitting there doing nothing.

It might be doing nothing but there was one person he answered to and needed to contact so he picked up the phone. "This is Admiral Overdun at Space Command. I need to speak with the president. We have an uninvited guest.

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

"No, Mr. President. It was not spotted inbound. It just suddenly showed up and hasn't moved. It doesn't appear to be affecting the ISS. They report that the station is stable and is not being affected," Admiral Overdun said. Then he listened.

"No, sir, it's just sitting there. The gases around it are still spinning and the center portion hasn't changed." Admiral Overdun then listened some more.

"I will check, sir." He held the old fashioned phone to his body. "Replay any signals we've received from the object since we spotted it and get ready to send a signal on every channel we have available. Tight beam only," Admiral Overdun ordered and waited.

"Checking now, sir," he told the president then put the handset back against his body. "Have ISS check to see if any electrical systems are being interfered with as well as any signal that they're receiving." They couldn't be lucky that an ET was that peaceful. Though he was thankful that so far there was only the one.

"Negative, sir. We have not received any communications and ISS has not found anything interfering with their systems nor are they receiving a signal," Admiral Overdun said. "We have not made any attempt at communications at this time, sir." He listened to what the president was both telling him and asking him.

"I'm not sure we can do that, Mr. President. Literally anyone with a telescope is going to be able to see this thing. From the observatories on mountain tops to the kid in his backyard with a telescope. It's too big and very bright. Once the object's on the dark side you might even be able to see it with the naked eye." He was betting it would just be a bright dot, but that would eventually get someone's attention.

Overdun listened for a moment. "No, sir. We have not contacted any other agencies or nations," the admiral assured him. "Yes, Mr. President." He hung up the phone. "Order ISS to keep an eye on the target 24 hours a day. Monitor and record everything. If it so much as blinks I want to be informed."

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

As expected word got out fast that there was something out in space just beyond the International Space Station that was basically a bright light in the sky. Now every observatory that could on the planet was watching it and listening. So was everyone that had a telescope in their backyard or rooftop. That night the late night news was filled with speculation on just what it was.

Come morning it had moved on to what this meant for the human race.

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

"You believe this, Beckett?" Espo asked while they were both in the breakroom watching the TV that was still talking about whatever it was.

"It's just a bunch of lights, Espo." Kate wasn't concerned about it being out there. She was more concerned that people would start to go nuts and she would end up with more dead bodies.

"It's ET, bro." Espo was still watching when Ryan joined him. Espo was loving it.

"It's all Jenny talked about this morning. Aliens from space. Now comes the question are they here to eat us? Blow up the planet or see if we have the ability to attack them," Ryan replied.

"Don't you two have something better to do before the captain gets back?" Kate asked both of them. Captain Montgomery had been suddenly called to 1PP early this morning right after Kate had gotten in. He didn't know when he would be back. However, Kate was betting money on him being called to a meeting with it being involved with the lights in the sky.

Now that everyone knew about it you could see it even in the daylight if you knew where to look. She had no doubt that people all over were on their roofs with their naked eye, to binoculars, to telescopes of all sizes, trying to get a good look at it.

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

Kate was leaning or sort of sitting on a desk staring at her white board, willing it to tell her something. She was missing something, she just knew it. The problem was she couldn't figure out just what it was. The whole board was starting to look blurry. "Coffee, I need coffee."

The biggest issue with that thought was that the coffee there was terrible. If she was honest with herself it was worse than terrible. Still she took the glass carafe out, poured herself a cup, grabbed the creamer and poured in a little. Then she poured in even more from the bottle marked French Vanilla. They were both powders so she stirred and stirred and finally satisfied, she took a sip. And almost spit it out.

The rest of her cup went down the drain. "ESPO!" Kate yelled and watched him show up at the doorway. "Why can't this thing make something drinkable? How hard can it be?" The stupidly cheap machine she had at home made better coffee than this damn thing.

"It's the water. This building is old with really old plumbing from equally old city plumbing." Espo said, not sure he was right or even close. But it was an answer.

"My apartment's old. My coffee machine at home is cheap and it makes better coffee than this," Kate snapped. "The coffee shop down the street is on the same water and they make excellent coffee," she argued.

His voice showed his indifference. "So go down the street." Espo left her and went back to his desk.

Kate groaned. But spending money on coffee was the only way. So she went to her desk and got money out of her bag. "I'm going to get coffee," Kate told Espo and Ryan.

"I'll take a cup. Make it with a touch of cream and nutmeg," Ryan said.

"Me, too. Make it a triple shot of espresso with whipped cream and a little caramel," Espo ordered.

"Do I look like a barista to you two?" Kate growled; these two were taking it just a little too far. She held out her hand and waited for them to slap the money she was going to need to buy them coffee into it.

"Triple espresso, whipped cream and caramel. Coffee with cream with nutmeg." Kate groaned but she headed for the elevator. What she did for a decent cup of coffee.

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

Roy was back and had gathered everyone around him on this floor so he could tell them what he had already told the floors below them. "Where's Beckett?" He didn't want to have to do this again.

"Here, sir." Kate showed up with a cup carrier that had three large cups of coffee in it. She was going to keep the change as payment for wear and tear on her boots, feet, and the delivery service she was providing.

"Okay, 1PP thinks the public is going to start to go nuts. For now everything's quiet, but certain people are going to decide now's a good time to start looting. While that isn't part of our job, there may be people that want to argue over who stole what and want what the other guy stole. That's where we're going to come in. I know we have cases already but be ready to go out on new calls to new bodies and be ready for a very cold reception from the public," Roy warned them. "When you go make sure you go with a unit when one is available. No one goes anywhere alone. Got that, Beckett?" Roy knew If there was anyone that was going to ignore this rule it was gong to be her.

"Yes, sir." Kate hated being singled out. She didn't need a babysitter which was basically what she was being told to do.

"See to it that you do. …For now back to work and be ready." Roy went to his office. He didn't know what it was out there, but whatever it was had just made his life more difficult.

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

Kate was back to looking at her board and sipping at her hot coffee after handing over what Espo and Ryan had ordered.

The sound of her desk phone ringing got her attention. "Beckett." Kate listened then hung up. "Lanie has something," she told Espo and Ryan in case anyone was looking for her.

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

"Hey Lanie, what have you got?" Hopefully it was something she could use.

"What do you think, girlfriend? We finally had an alien space ship." Lanie couldn't think of anything more exciting.

"Please tell me you didn't call me down here because of a new bright light in the sky?" Kate was really disappointed.

"Leave it to you to take the most exciting thing that's happened in a really long time and turn it into a bright light in the sky." Lanie couldn't believe her. Why couldn't she be excited for something, anything even?

"Dead body." Kate was down there for that and not some bright light in the sky that was just there and not doing anything.

"Have it your way, little Miss Boring." Lanie wished Kate would come out of her shell. "I finally got whatever it was off her body. I sent it in for analysis. This is what I found under that." Lanie took her over to the body to show her.

Kate took a closer look. "That looks like a burn."

"Third degree burn, to be precise. It would have to be hot and stay there long enough to do this kind of damage. Too big to be a simple cigarette burn or even a branding iron. I've scraped off what's left of the skin and sent it to be analyzed as well," Lanie said. "We won't hear anything for at least a day or two."

"Burn. Not enough to kill her," Kate stated as Lanie shook her head. "But someone covered it up with something. But why would our killer carry something like that with him and why cover it up at all? He killed her, wasn't that enough?" Now Kate had a new mystery.

"She may have covered it herself with what she had available. But I can tell you something that helped with the burn." Lanie retrieved her file so she could get this right. "I found a tiny portion of white phosphorus."

"White phosphorus? Where would she get her hands on that stuff?" It sounded like military to her.

"White phosphorus is used in fertilizers, food additives, and cleaning compounds. While very small amounts used to be used in the past in pesticides though it's also used in fireworks," Lanie explained.

"Fireworks are illegal in New York. She doesn't work in the food industry and she didn't have a garden anywhere. Thanks, Lanie." That was actually helpful.

"You wouldn't happen to have a telescope would you?" Lanie called after her, knowing that she didn't but maybe they could find one.

Kate kept walking while shaking her head. She had a dead body and had no time for some new light in the sky that didn't affect her.

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

It was now a week later and Kate answered the door expecting to find Lanie on the other side who was, she noticed, holding a bottle of wine. "What's with the wine?" Kate asked since she had one out already.

"A celebration. The white light hasn't done anything for a week and there aren't any riots going on anywhere so all is peaceful," Lanie announced and entered while Kate locked the door behind her.

"Not entirely peaceful," Kate countered. She'd solved the case on the day the light had shown up and solved the one after that. She had tomorrow off and the day after provided she didn't get a call.

"That's the human race for you," Lanie shrugged and got glasses out of the cupboard and a corkscrew to open her bottle. "Until we have a reason not to kill each other we're both never going to lose our jobs."

"I'll celebrate that day easily." Kate would give up her job if people stopped killing each other today if it happened. Now what she would do if they did was another question, but she would cross that bridge when it came. However, that was never going to happen so it didn't matter.

"So what do you think it is?" Lanie asked as she handed Kate her glass filled with wine.

"A white light," Kate replied. She sat on her sofa, took a drink, and was happy that Lanie had done well. It was a good bottle.

"Please, even I can see that. I mean what are they hiding? What do they look like? Why are they here?" Lanie was full of questions.

"It's done nothing but sit there and done nothing else but put out light. Why can't it be just that?" Kate asked, annoyed at all the interest in just a light.

"Okay then. How did it get there without being seen? Someone sent it," Lanie countered.

"Well until it does something besides having people keep asking me what I think, it's done nothing to change my life or anyone else's." Kate wasn't interested.

"You really need to get a life. You need to get out more." Lanie was worried for her.

"I have a life, thank you. I like my life. It's very fulfilling," Kate insisted.

"Finding your mother's killer. That's not a life, that's stubborn." Lanie was more worried now.

"I'm determined, not stubborn or fanatic before you go there as well." Kate didn't think she was doing anything wrong.

"How about single-minded to the detriment of all else. What does your dad say about your determination to find your mother's killer?" Lanie wondered if she had even asked him or cared what he thought.

"I don't need his approval on how to live my life." Lanie was her best friend but trying to talk her out of finding out who killed her mother and getting her to stop was pissing her off.

Lanie was saved when both of their cell phones began ringing.

"I've been ordered into the precinct," Kate said after Lanie hung up.

"Me, too. Wonder what's up? Maybe the Martians have landed," Lanie grinned as she teased.

"There are no little green men," Kate said, knowing full well that there was no life on Mars.

"Of course not, that's because they're little gray guys with big black eyes. Just don't end up on one of their examination tables, Kate," Lanie half joked with her but was half serious.

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

They both barely made it anywhere let alone to the precinct. Something was going on and Kate had a really bad feeling about it.

Lanie went with her instead of going to the morgue. She felt safer there than where she worked.

"Beckett, you need to see this." Espo was somehow already there, though she saw no sign of Ryan or Roy.

Espo went into the breakroom and pointed at the TV. Kate, Lanie, and everyone else was looking at the TV that was showing this big pyramid sitting on the grass. It was large, almost all white, though maybe it looked like marble because there was a bit of gray in it.

There was a very bright light in the very center and it lit up everything around it.

"It just landed there a moment ago," Espo explained as everyone watched the TV.

"The white glow looks a lot like that bright light in the sky," Lanie pointed out as she watched.

One week of nothing and now this.


	2. Chapter 2

**Home**

_Chapter 2_

"Admiral, we have four new contacts," Lieutenant Lee called out.

"Put it on the main screen," Admiral Morgan ordered. It was just his luck that a new team was active at the time and it would be him.

They watched as four separate targets left the anomaly that for the last week hadn't moved from the same spot since it had arrived and it still hadn't.

"Track them, I want to know where they're going." At least it was only four and there still was only the one. Even if they couldn't reach it with anything they had that he knew anything about. That meant he had to follow four screens though when he found one headed for the United States he paid most of his attention to that one.

He watched as it raced across the Atlantic at impossible speeds when suddenly it slowed down to almost a crawl. "What's the nearest airbase?" He needed eyes on whatever it was. Preferably armed eyes.

"Francis S. Gabreski Air National Guard Base is the closest, sir," Lieutenant Miller responded.

"Order them to intercept. I want eyes on whatever it is. Then alert the closest army base for when or if it lands." Admiral Morgan then picked up the phone.

"This is Admiral Morgan at Space Command. Get me the president. We have a squatter in bound."

"Mr. President. The target has dispatched four items. One's headed for the East Coast. Roughly the New York area at this time. We're still tracking the other three.

"I've ordered two fighters out of Francis S. Gabreski to intercept. If that proves to be inadequate the next closest is in New Jersey. The closest army base has been alerted should it land on US soil," Admiral Morgan informed him.

"No, sir, so far eyes only." He hadn't ordered it to be shot down at this time. "Yes, sir. I will keep you apprised at where and what it does." He hung up the phone.

"Connect with the closest radar station. I want to see it." His radar wasn't going to last if it got below a certain altitude and he knew it. He watched it and it was actually moving rather slowly. Too slow for his jets to do anything but a fast fly-by. Still he would have eyes on it even if he didn't have a picture of it yet.

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

"The flight is checking in, sir. They indicate that they have overflown the craft. They indicated that it's a glowing pyramid, sir." He hadn't believed them so he had asked them to repeat it.

The admiral opened his mouth to question him again, but he was a trained officer so he closed it. Now he needed to figure out how he was going to get a visual of it. Right now he wanted to know where it was going.

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

It took some doing but thanks to one of the local TV stations they had a visual of it because of a news helicopter that was circling it.

"Looks like it landed somewhere in Central Park." But now that it was on the ground it was out of his jurisdiction. It was mostly an army matter at this point. Still he needed to inform the president so he picked up the phone to fill him in.

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

Kate and everyone else heard a whistle and realized it was Roy. "Once again, crowd control's up to the uniforms. However, the public's not likely to take this well so you may be called on to help with riot control. Beckett, your team's now on standby. Riots mean someone gets killed. Dr. Parish, I suggest you go to your office and what ever you do, do **not** go to a site without armed support. These idiots are just as likely to shoot you as anyone else. Get ready everyone." Roy went back to his desk and his phone rang even before he could sit down.

"Not lights any more, Beckett," Espo pointed out as he and Kate just watched it sit there.

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

Roy had turned out to be right. There was a riot, though as riots go it was a small one. Though it did end up with someone being killed.

Lanie was looking over the body but also kept an eye on the armed officers that were hovering around her.

"Hey, Lanie, what have we got?" Kate had arrived with Espo, Ryan, and another four cruisers to keep the area safe and help and they were lucky to have them. By rights they should be handling the riot that was finally winding down or at the alien ship that had landed.

"Meet Andrew Allen, 21 years old. Based on the tread marks it's not hard to figure out what killed him but I'll know more once I get him on the table," Lanie said.

"He was part of the riot and got himself run over for his trouble." Kate didn't think that was hard to figure out.

"Looks like it," Lanie agreed.

"Witnesses that are still around? Find out if there are any surveillance cameras. Get the tire treads and maybe we can narrow down who did it." Kate was issuing orders just as a military helicopter flew over them. "And check all of the TV stations. They have helicopters out here with cameras. Maybe they saw something."

A sudden gun shot had all of them turning that direction. "Idiots." Kate wasn't impressed by the public. The world wasn't coming to an end just because one little something landed in Central Park that just so happened to be way over there and not anywhere near here.

"Tell me what you can when you're done. Let's see if he has any friends still in the area or if he was stealing all alone." Kate needed a witness and maybe an abandoned vehicle that was his or his parents that he had taken.

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

"Beckett, we found a late model SUV that's registered to one Steve Allen. No relation that might be our boy's," Ryan told her and followed him to it.

"Nice of him to leave it unlocked for us. So why didn't someone steal it?" Kate wondered.

"Beckett." Ryan called her to the back of the SUV and she looked in to see what he'd found.

"Great, just what we need." His car, if it was his car, had a dead body in the back. She pulled out her phone. She needed Lanie over here so she could tell them what killed this guy.

"Gloves," Kate warned Ryan just as he reached for something. She got out her own gloves to put on. "Something tells me this is going to be a long night."

"Maybe the aliens can solve it for us," Ryan quipped and didn't see the look Kate gave him.

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

Kate was busy working on her board with her two dead bodies. She had easily found out that Steven Allen was the older brother of Andrew Allen. Steve was four years older than his brother. Andy didn't have a record while his older brother did. However, none of it involved weapons. So why was he killed and how did he end up in the back of his parents' SUV while his younger brother was near by and just as dead?

"Their parents are on their way over though it may take a while. You should see it out there," Espo said. It was a real mess.

"Has the SUV been towed back yet? We need to search it for blood, prints, and anything else." Kate had found that CSU was really busy and couldn't make it to the site so they had had it towed to the precinct. It was now down in the parking garage.

"Rolled in 15 minutes ago," Espo confirmed.

"Take Ryan with you and see if you can find something. I'll talk to the parents." Kate always found it hard to talk to the parents. This one was going to be doubly difficult since they'd lost two sons in the same day at almost the same place.

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

Kate felt sorry for them, she really did. The mother had burst into tears. She had lost two sons that she had brought into the world. Surprisingly the husband wanted to know if the aliens had killed either or both of them.

Kate had to tell them that they weren't even close to that area. Aliens had nothing to do with their deaths. Save that they were trying to take advantage of the situation by stealing while the police were busy with other things.

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

Ryan and Espo weren't back yet so Kate began work on their financials and phone records. Maybe one or both were part of a gang that had decided to send out everyone to steal what they could.

Kate was still at her desk when Espo showed up and dropped a big plastic bag on her desk that had another plastic bag inside it with something in it. She picked it up, looked at it, and immediately recognized it. "Marijuana." She now had something else to chase down regarding how they got killed that had nothing to do with stealing or aliens.

"Maybe they were taking advantage of the situation to gain something else," Kate mused.

"This is just what we found that was bagged. The back end's full of the loose stuff. We're thinking they were transporting it and got spotted," Espo commented even if he had nothing to prove it yet.

"Another gang or a group of civilians that took advantage of the situation," Kate suggested.

"Or our aliens," Espo added, knowing it would get Kate going and he wasn't disappointed.

"Aliens that want a few tokes so they can get high?" Kate glared at him since it was stupid.

Espo kept it up since egging Kate on was fun. "Maybe they know a use for the stuff that we don't."

"It wasn't aliens. It wasn't ray guns. Maybe you should try looking for something more down to Earth and more useful." Kate had heard enough from him.

"Just because we don't have evidence it doesn't mean it wasn't. Closed mind." Espo tapped at his head and went to his desk to track down the latest bust involving marijuana. Maybe they knew something he didn't. It had to come from somewhere so maybe that was a lead.

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

_It is now one week later_

The riot was over though little had calmed down and the businesses affected were working on recovering from the damage that had been done to their stores. They had insurance and now those insurance companies had people out estimating the cost of the damage as well as the cost of what had been stolen.

Life had basically gone back to normal, at least for the moment. Roy had ordered Kate and her team off of the Allen case. They had no new leads and no killer. It had turned into a cold case and that really got to Kate. She needed to solve every case she got so not getting to solve one hurt. However, she wasn't mad at Roy. He was their captain. That and the city hadn't gone silent in terms on no more murders.

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

_We go back five days_

General Perry had decided to actually visit the site.

"General." Colonel Mueller came to attention and saluted. When he got a salute in return he relaxed a bit.

"So there's been no activity of any kind?" He didn't understand why and that made him worry even more.

"No, sir. It landed very slowly and has just sat there ever since. We've closed off half of Central Park. What we don't have a plan for yet are all of the apartments and businesses that border this area. One of the concerns of that area is that all it takes is one idiot with a weapon," Colonel Mueller explained.

"I see you have a team examining it." He saw three teams in total. All of them were walking around with devices.

"Yes, sir. We've touched it but so far we have restricted everything to something less intrusive. There is one thing, though. The longer you watch it the more your eyes hurt. The light it gives off has never diminished and if you watch it too long without protection it starts to hurt," Colonel Mueller advised him.

That had the general looking again and saw all of the teams walking around wearing eye protection. "And the personnel that are deployed around it?" He didn't need the soldiers around it going blind or to just stop watching it because it hurt too much.

"We've ordered more eye protection but for now we're rotating all ground personnel in teams to limit the time each is required to watch it," Colonel Mueller informed him.

They heard helicopters overhead go past them. "I've ordered the area be closed to all air traffic. This has forced the closure of Midtown Skyport, Bergen County Airport, and other smaller airports," General Perry said.

Colonel Mueller knew full well he wasn't going to make any friends doing that. But he understood needing to control the airspace around this site. Just then another army Cobra helicopter flew over them and patrolled the area.

"We're not alone, though. We know one landed in Russia, China, and India. This one is ours. Keep everyone out of the park. Deadly force has been authorized," the general advised him. He himself didn't approve but he had his orders.

"Sir?" Mueller wasn't sure how his troops that were all National Guard troops were going to take this order. They were part civilians and not armed killers.

"Those are your orders. I didn't say this, understand? Shoot them in the legs or with something less lethal. I'll try and get the local police to provide you with all the tasers they have. It may come in batches, however." It was the best he could do for him and not disobey orders.

"Yes, sir. Sir, we're going to need facilities soon." He only had a few places for his men and women to use the restroom and food was all MREs.

"I'll arrange all I can. Distribute as you see best. Stay in contact. That thing so much as blinks I want to hear about it," Perry said.

Colonel Mueller came to attention and saluted. It sounded to him like the general was done with him for now. He relaxed when he got a salute in return and watched him leave.

"Deadly force." Yeah, this was going to go over really well.

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

Later that night he found trucks carrying porta potties with drivers asking where he wanted them. It seemed the general had come through for at least this problem. And they just kept coming all the next day. There were one or two trucks at a time every few hours.

He now had three large stations spread out all over with a few distributed to the troops blocking access to Central Park.

Then a day later a portable kitchen group had shown up and now they were making and distributing hot food to the troops stationed to watch the UFO. The ones manning the perimeter of the park were still stuck with MREs.

Right behind the kitchen were tents for the troops to sleep in. It allowed him to start rotating the troops from always being ready. It also came with a panel truck full of goggles for everyone to wear so that their eyes didn't hurt from watching it too long.

It took a full day but they had finally developed a routine.

The public had gotten the word to stay out of Central Park even though a lot of them spent some time trying to get a peek. It was the ones in the high-rises around them that got the best view. That soon presented a new problem. They either didn't know or had ignored the warning not to look at the UFO for too long. The hospital emergency rooms were filling with people complaining of eye pain.

Similar to looking at the sun for too long was what the nurses and doctors were seeing for a few people. This had local TV stations continuing to issue warnings as did the all the radio stations. In addition New York City spent money to have pamphlets printed out and then hand delivered to all the buildings around Central Park.

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

_Returning__ to one week after arrival_

Colonel Mueller hadn't seen General Perry since his one and only visit. But that didn't mean he was totally silent. He heard from him daily, in fact.

They both had several topics to discuss. One was getting tanks to the site. They had several M1 Abrams that could be sent to the site. It was just that getting them there was proving to be a challenge.

Most of the bridges around Manhattan were old and there was concern that the weight of the tanks might do damage to them. Then there was what the weight of the tanks would do to the roads. The area didn't have transports to take them there so to get them they had to have them sent from other areas. Most of the crossings were bridges and most of them were old, but they did have four tunnels to use.

For now they mostly had Bradleys and ground units along with air units. Fighters were on standby. The first of the M1 Abrams had just arrived; they were being offloaded and being sent to positions to monitor their UFO.

Then Colonel Mueller heard from General Perry. "I'm being questioned about the number and cost of having this many active military units for a UFO that's doing nothing. For now they're yours, just be ready to reduce the size of containment due to fewer personnel. I'm getting questions if there's actually anyone or anything inside it," General Perry warned him.

"Yes, sir." That had him going to his map to see what he could do with half of what he had now.

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

"Beckett, I know it's not your job but all of the uniforms are busy with crowd control. Our UFO's becoming a new draw to all our tourists, not to mention those that live here. We've been ordered to hand over all of our tasers to the military. We just got a delivery and it's downstairs. I want you to take it over to the military then get back here." In his mind it was a simple delivery. It would take her 30 minutes at most.

"Yes, sir." Kate collected everything she needed and headed downstairs to find the delivery. She was going to get in her cruiser and make this easy delivery. She was doing paperwork for her last case, anyway. Besides, while she was out she could stop and get some real coffee on the way back.

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

"Castle, we have orders. Time to suit up."

"Yes, sir. And if they decide to start firing at me?" Rick wanted to know his limits, what he could react to, and by how much he could react.

"They haven't shot at us yet," he teased him.

"Oh, swell, that makes me feel better." He knew the capabilities of the unit he was going to be climbing into, though, and felt that he was simply teasing him back.

"Relax, scans show that they only use projectile weapons and low velocity ones at that. You're fine, nothing to worry about. You've been cleared to destroy weapons only. No deaths. The other three are doing the same thing at this time so you're not alone." Well, he was going to be alone here, just not totally alone in actions that were going to take place.

"Copy that, weapons only." Rick climbed up, got into his suit, and powered everything up as it closed around him. He was now going to be relying on his scans and the screens he had to look at as well as his semi-AI unit that was built-in help.

"Ready, Suzie?" Rick had gotten used to her voice and what she was capable of doing.

"Power is at 99%, all systems are operational. Orders are received and acknowledged," Suzie replied. She had gotten the order for weapons only with no deaths permitted.

Three big steps later and Rick was outside in full view of everyone out there. The first move was up to them. He had his orders.


	3. Chapter 3

**Home**

_Chapter 3_

Kate was stopped at the edge and told to turn around. However, she flashed her badge and told him that she had orders to deliver a box of tasers as requested by the army. She was ordered to leave her car and take her package into the park by foot. She got stopped two more times by random patrols but at least the last one told her were to take her box. She thanked them and kept walking.

Truth be told she wanted to put real eyes on this pyramid that she had only seen on a TV screen. Seeing the glow had gotten her attention and she was keen to get a good look at it until she remembered the warning about looking at it too long. So she looked away, paying attention to where she was going.

A loud sound that suddenly started up had her looking until she saw it. It was the first time she'd ever been this close to a military tank. It was even mostly green in color. She wondered how the military could do anything with all the noise that thing made. It wasn't just the scream of the engine, though maybe scream was too harsh of a word. Though hearing the tracks going across blacktop and concrete walkways didn't help. It was actually the only tank she saw. The rest were other mechanical units; there were machine guns and men in uniform all over the place. Then she saw a bank of porta potties and watched as a Marine or whoever came out of one with his weapon.

Still walking she saw a group of tents then she smelled something. It really wasn't so bad. It smelled like food to her. "So much for eating MREs." Kate was happy for them. She stopped for a moment. The problem was she didn't know just exactly know where to go. She did at least have a name.

After clearing the bank of porta potties she had her first really up close look at the pyramid. It was also now that she noticed everyone was wearing dark goggles. Well, almost everyone.

Kate found someone who was just standing there. "I'm looking for a Colonel Mueller. I have a box of tasers he asked for." He pointed and told her what he looked like. She looked where he pointed and spotted him talking to three different soldiers. "Thanks." Kate continued her walk.

He was still with the other three soldiers but he had seen her. "You shouldn't be here. Escort her out of here." She looked like a civilian until he noticed her weapon.

"I'm Detective Kate Beckett. I have orders to deliver these tasers we just got in." Kate held out her box for someone to take.

"Sergeant Perkins, take the tasers and have them distributed to the border guards around the park," Mueller ordered one of the men next to him.

"Yes, sir." He gave a quick salute and took the box from Kate. It left her free to turn and look at the pyramid.

"Thank you for the tasers." He had his orders but if this meant his men didn't have to kill someone he was all for it.

Kate knew she had just been dismissed but she lingered just long enough to take one last look before looking at it started to hurt. That was when something that was actually bigger than the pyramid was stepped out and took another two big steps.

"WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?" Kate heard someone call out.

It looked really familiar to her, though she didn't remember it looking this big. And by big she meant thirty to thirty-five feet tall easily. About two feet taller than the pyramid was, she was betting. Thankfully it was dark so looking at it didn't hurt her eyes.

It looked like a man. There were long legs, long arms, a body, a head, and no clothes, though he also didn't have any anatomy. He was bald everywhere. And there was an orange glow where his eyes should be. No nose and no mouth or ears.

She did have to agree with the, _"What the hell is that,"_ question.

It stopped and stood there but it was that glowing eye or maybe it was the glow in a slot since she thought she saw blackness to either side.

Then a single shot rang out from somewhere. The result of that shot was instantaneous. This horrible screeching sound followed it and Kate clapped her hands over her ears and bent over to try and keep the sound out. She saw glass breaking near her so she stood back up and while the screeching sound had stopped she saw men still holding their heads all over the place.

Then this white beam reached out and while it didn't touch the soldier carrying it, she watched as his weapon vanished in a heartbeat.

"It is!" Now she knew where she had seen something like this before. It simply looked a little different and was a whole lot bigger.

Then she heard two words repeated over and over again. "OPEN FIRE! OPEN FIRE!" All hell broke loose and the noise was deafening. Weapons of all types fired and it was hard to hear anything else but that.

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

Rick stepped out and looked around. Suzie was doing her job. He saw weapons all over the place being targeted and cataloged based on their effectiveness. There had to be hundreds of them. Very few of them had any real size or capability to even dent them let alone cause damage.

Then a shot rang out and Suzie showed him that he had just taken a round to his chest just below his neck. Suzie offered a response and he accepted it. He was rewarded with seeing everyone in sight trying to keep out the noise as any glass in the effected area broke.

Suzie had also pinpointed the offending weapon so he fired a beam and disintegrated the weapon in a second but did no damage to the soldier holding it. Then he heard two words being repeated. "OPEN FIRE! OPEN FIRE!" This had his system telling him he was taking rounds all over his body. Suzie did her job and targeted each weapon that had fired at him and he authorized for her to respond.

Kate watched as what looked like twenty or more beams left the glowing orange area and struck something that disappeared in an instant.

"HOLY SHIT!" She was just a cop and now she was dead front and center of a fire fight using weapons meant to kill and damage anything they touched. She ran since getting the hell out of there seemed like the best idea to her.

Then something big sounded and it sounded like this big boom. Looking that way she saw the tank earlier had a lot of smoke and dust in front of it. The damn tank had fired, that was what she'd heard. The sound and feeling of it had her stumbling until she was on the ground on her hands and knees.

Just as she was jumping up to run again the tank all but vanished leaving the men inside sitting on the ground. Everything about the tank was gone. All of it, inside and out.

Rick took two big steps and kept accepting the firing solutions that Suzie showed him. Then he had a warning. Two airborne units were headed his way. But his orders said not to kill. If he took those two out the men in them might fall to their deaths.

"Suzie, weapon pods only," Rick told her and saw them targeted and fired. Both Cobra gunships loosed the pods on either side as well as the gun under the nose, though both kept flying without trouble.

Satisfied he had adhered to his orders he kept looking and firing. Then a larger projectile didn't hit him directly, it just brushed off his right arm then exploded on the ground.

The more he fired the fewer targets he had to shoot at. Rick was a little amused that after losing the weapon they had just been holding or the vehicle they had been sitting in were now gone, it had left them dazed and either just standing there or sitting on the ground.

It was over almost as fast as it had started as far as Rick was concerned.

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

Kate picked herself up and began running just as she heard another tank somewhere take a shot. Then the ground around her erupted a moment later. Before she hit the ground she felt intense pain for a split second and was unconscious before she landed in the hole that had just been made.

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

Rick was satisfied. "Suzie?" He didn't see anymore red targets that said weapons. His power level was still really high. His damage screen showed that he had no damage of any kind. They hadn't even scratched him. He wondered why they'd bothered to fire at him in the first place.

"All weapons in the area are accounted for." He had disintegrated every weapon any of them had. Right down to the pistols in the belts at their side. However, a yellow area had his attention. Two long steps later and he was right next to it.

"Analysis Suzie?" He feared what she was about to tell him. He had his orders not to kill anyone and while this person wasn't disintegrated because of his weapon he was still sure he was in trouble.

"Human…female. Left arm has been removed by a projectile. She will bleed out in under five minutes without medical help," Suzie reported. She didn't have Rick's conscience. She didn't care if she lived or died. But Rick did especially if his superiors thought it was his fault.

Rick scooped her up and strode toward home. "I have one human injury. Have medical ready when I enter," Rick advised home. He stepped into the pyramid and settled into his station to be secured in place. Then he placed the human female on the car that showed up for her and watched it as it hurried away.

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

His boss showed up after he climbed out of his unit. "Castle."

"I didn't do it, sir. It wasn't me." If his weapon had killed her she wouldn't even have a body to be picked up and brought here.

"I know, rest easy. Guess that answers the question about what they would do." They had their answer. "Follow me, Castle." His boss walked over to a transit pod and they had a nice long ride to the bridge.

Castle had been up there several times. Still he was amazed at just what he found.

"Hughes, contact the other three ships and confirm." His boss was standing in front of a terminal that was filled with little screens. Then out of thin air three commanders like his boss appeared up. "Report."

"Our Gort was attacked. All local weapons were eliminated within the area," Commander Levy reported.

"Same here. Our Gort stepped out and was immediately attacked. All weapons were eliminated with no loss of life," Commander Elliott said.

"Here as well. Our Gort was instantly attacked. Even as of this moment our ship's being attacked by air units. We're ignoring them. We've sustained no damage and neither did our Gort unit," Commander Minshew reported.

"Our Gort unit took one shot that we believe was a stray shot, however, that was followed up by a full out assault on our Gort unit that took no damage. We have one wounded human female that's in our medical bay at this moment," Overall Commander Borders told all three of them.

"Our orders are to remain and find out what happens next. Command will make a final decision on what is to happen next. But I think we all know what the answer will be." He could guess.

"We will await the decision of the council," Commander Minshew replied then disappeared as did the other two.

"You have a debriefing to attend, Colonel Castle. Get to it. After that I want you to inspect your Gort and recommend any maintenance that it needs. You may be needed again," Commander Borders said.

"Yes, sir. Permission to go to medical. No one should have been injured in this encounter." He felt bad about that.

"Granted after you've inspected your Gort and gotten cleaned up."

"Thank you, sir." Rick hurried off to his Gort unit so he could make sure nothing was wrong then check on the human female he'd picked up. He was wondering just what she was doing there. They'd sat here for a week and watched. The military had cleared the entire area of civilians. So why was she there unless maybe she was out of uniform?

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

Rick left it open, stepped inside, and powered up. "Suzie, how are we doing? Run a diagnostics for me, please." A visual inspection was tiring and would take a lot of time. This was faster. He wanted to get to medical, find out who she was, and what the hell she was doing there.

"Running diagnostics," Suzie said. "Power is below 93%." Rick expected that. The Gort was plugged in so should be powered up in just under an hour or more. "No external damage detected. No internal damage detected. Computer systems are fully functional. …Did we kill someone?" That was against orders and concerned Suzie greatly.

"We didn't directly, no. It may possibly be a friendly fire incident. I'm going to medical next after taking a shower and changing. I'll let you know what I find out," Rick offered.

"Thank you, I appreciate that. I appear to be fully operational," Suzie reported.

"Good. I'll inform the commander and get back to you on the condition of the human female. Good night, Suzie." Rick commenced shutting everything down.

"Good night," Suzie said just before he shut her off.

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

Rick took a transit pod to the deck his quarters were and let himself inside. Nothing around here was locked. There was no need for locks. He stripped off his combat uniform and headed for the sonic shower. They had more than enough water, air, and food. But each shower was designed to be conservative in how much water was used anyway.

It was a fast shower like always and he was dry by the time he stepped out and found he needed to relieve himself before getting dressed.

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

Now dressed in a very casual clothes he took a tube to the medical bay and used the screen out front to inquire about the human female. He read that she was in surgery so he walked to the observation deck so he could watch. As he was just sitting down as one of the doctors moved just enough for him to see that her left arm was gone. "Oh shit!" He felt bad about that. Though if he had shot her she wouldn't even be here so he was thankful for that.

He sat there quietly and watched. He didn't know what they'd already done to her but he watched as they work on her chest area. He got to see one breast and while it wasn't overly large, that wasn't what he was concerned about. Little by little they attached an arm and then ran some tests. When satisfied they sealed her up and sprayed on some skin to cover it all up. He watched as they disconnected her from everything and saw her taken away.

He was curious so he pressed the panel. "How is she, what did you do?"

"She should recover just fine, Colonel." It told him that he was recognized. "She will need to learn how to use her left arm again so physical therapy is in her future. We had no choice but to replace three ribs, her left shoulder, left arm as well as her left lung. In time she will be just fine." What he didn't know was what they were going to do with her. He also wasn't sure how she was going to feel about having parts of her replaced.

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

"Colonel?" The general was on site after the incident.

"It was thirty maybe thirty-five feet tall with no facial features. Two legs, two arms, and one big orange eye. There was a stray shot then everything went to hell. This loud sound had everyone temporarily incapacitated. Then we opened fire and it shot out these white lights that made everything they touched vanish. We didn't lose a single man but every piece of equipment is gone without exception," Colonel Mueller reported.

"And where were the jets?" General Perry questioned him.

"It was all over before we could even call them. The funny part is that the helicopters weren't shot down but according to the pilots they lost their combat ability. We didn't lose a man or even have an injury." The colonel had no explanation for what had happened.

"There is one thing, sir. We have witnesses that swear they saw it go back into the pyramid carrying someone, however, we aren't missing anyone. Also how did something bigger than the pyramid itself get into it?" If his reports were accurate.

No one had seen it come out so how it got back in was also a mystery. Except this mystery they had on video since it and the ship were under surveillance 24 hours a day from multiple angles.

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

"Castle, report to the bridge," Rick heard over the ship's intercom. He had turned his badge off since he was in the medical area and in the operation theater no less.

He ran for a pod to reach the bridge.

"I was in the operation theater observation deck, sir." He had a reason why he couldn't be reached individually.

"I thought as much." He liked Castle, he really did. "Command wants each of our Gort units back outside. We want to know what happens next. They want information before they make a decision," he advised Rick. "So mount up and be prepared to go outside. Same rules apply. Weapons only, no deaths."

"Yes, sir." Rick ran to his room so he could change into his flight suit. His Gort was the only unit on this ship so he was allowed to keep everything he needed in his cabin. Being an officer he had a somewhat larger cabin than some of the others. RHIP.

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

"Hi, Suzie, here we go again," Rick said to her after he fired everything up and saw all green indicators.

"Power is presently only up to 96% after our last encounter," Suzie warned him.

"Acknowledged. They use projectile weapons only so we should be fine. Just keep your eyes open for something bigger," Rick asked her. After telling the bridge that he was ready after going through his checklist he was told to wait.

They had given each site more than enough time for the locals to replace some of their weapons. They wanted to learn just how willing the planet was willing to use them in any given situation.

Finally Rick heard, "Castle, you are cleared to deploy. Like last time take two or three steps out of the ship at your discretion and hold."

He still saw nothing that would stop him on any of his screens so he stepped out of the ship and made two large steps to get away from the ship a little then stood there and monitored all the reactions he got.

He saw a number of people and watched as Suzie scanned and targeted potential targets. Like before it took her very little time. He also noticed that there was nothing big like last time. It was all hand held weapons. Weapons that weren't almost worth destroying. But he had his orders. If he was shot at he would destroy every weapon in his area.


	4. Chapter 4

**Home**

_Chapter 4_

"SIR!" An officer ran in and saw General Perry still talking with Colonel Mueller. "It's back. The really big guy. He's back." Then he ran back out which had both the general and the colonel moving quickly to follow him. Once outside they most certainly saw that the thirty to thirty-five foot tall giant was indeed back out and just standing there.

Colonel Mueller didn't waste a moment and didn't ask for permission. "Order no one to fire. I want no firing of any kind. If we have birds in the air order them to turn around and go back. In fact, order everyone with a gun to put it on the ground. Immediately!" Mueller ordered and even took out his replacement weapon, ejected the clip and pulled the slide to eject the round that was in it, then dropped it.

"What are you doing?" General Perry was beginning to think the man he placed in charge had lost it and he needed to assume active command.

"Think about it. Forget that it came through space to this planet and the technology that that requires them to have. They sat here for an entire week and watched us. We're all in plain sight. Then this big guy steps out. Someone on our side had an itchy trigger finger. They're just National Guard troops. The result is that each and every weapon we have was eliminated. We had 100% loss of material and 0% of personnel. What does that tell you?" Colonel Mueller challenged him.

"A set up. We were played. They don't want us dead but they want us to know that they can very easily if they wanted to." The general was catching on to what he was thinking.

"What happened at the other sites? There were four and we have one. What happened at the other three?" the colonel questioned since it was above his pay grade.

"The very same thing that happened here. They were fired on and they responded. Everyone lost then the big guy was gone," the general admitted.

The colonel issued a warning. "He's back out so he can test us again."

"The other three sites." The general bolted for the command tents and stopped at the communications station. "I need to speak with General Reacher in the Pentagon immediately," he ordered just as Colonel Mueller stepped up next to him.

Colonel Mueller listened until General Perry stopped talking and gave the headset back to the officer manning the station.

"It's too late. Satellite images show that the Russians attacked it again. They didn't see any men lost but all of the hardware was eliminated. The ones in India and China are still there but according to satellite data it was looking like they were gearing up for another attack on theirs.

"They're trying to verify with ground units but that will take time. We just might be the last one to attack ours a second time and we may have to do just that." The general knew something he didn't.

"Why would we…?" That didn't make any sense to him. They lost and it had only taken a minute and they hadn't lost a single person. "Oh God! In the middle of New York City? Have you lost your mind!?" The loss of life would be in the thousands if not hundreds of thousands.

Colonel Mueller had discarded his weapon.

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

Rick saw one of his targets change when the hand weapon he was carrying hit the ground. Then he followed him and another man running for what looked like a simple tent.

"What do you think, Suzie?" Rick was sure she didn't have an answer but he asked her anyway.

"I calculate that there is an 87% chance that they need to talk to someone," Suzie replied. "Tell me about the human female." Suzie hadn't forgotten about her.

"She underwent surgery and is likely resting in a bed in medical. They replaced her left arm, left shoulder, and left lung with a mechanical replacement. The doctor thinks she'll be in physical therapy for a while as she learns how to use her left arm again," Rick said.

"However, she will live," Suzie stated.

"Yes, what her life will be like is yet to be determined. Only the Almighty can tell what life that will be," Rick told her.

"Good. …One of the two men who ran into the tent is back." Suzie had her eyes open.

Rick zoomed in on him and looked him over before watching him going back inside. "I'm betting he's the man in charge around here. What happened to the other man?" Rick could feel the hairs on the back of his neck stand up.

"Command, request permission to return. One of their officers removed his hand weapon and left it on the ground. He has now disappeared." Rick knew they mostly used projectile weapons and his Gort unit was immune to them. Though other types of weapons might be more of a risk.

"Stand by," was the answers he received. Rick thought he knew why he was out here but something was changing and he didn't know what it was.

"Colonel Castle, request granted," he was suddenly told which had him turning and taking two big steps back into the ship. Then he twisted in place, stood in his stall, and allowed the connections to plug in.

"Talk to me, Suzie." Rick wanted to know what she knew.

"Power is still at 96% and charging. There are no faults detected. May I ask why we returned?" She hadn't seen anything that could affect either of them. "No external damage detected. No internal damage detected. Computer systems are fully functional."

"Yes, where is the commander?" Rick inquired.

"Commander Borders is on the bridge."

"Good night, Suzie." Rick shut her down, exited his suit, and ran for a transit pod; soon he was on the bridge.

"Commander, something's up." Rick could feel it.

"I know." He walked over to a different section of the bridge. He had orders not to cause any deaths but that didn't mean he had to just sit here and take it.

"Target and activate the beam. Send it back to where it came from, land it, then short out all of its systems," Commander Borders ordered.

"May I ask what is going on, sir?" Rick wasn't in command here and even if the commander was some how incapacitated he was third in command. So just in case he needed to understand what was going on.

"They've decided to send a bomber loaded with a nuclear device. It's a really small one but the bomber has been cleared to proceed," the commander replied.

"That won't do anything to us. But it will kill everyone within miles of this place." These people really were nuts. "Who authorized it?"

"Someone called General Reacher. Based on what we know he's exceeding his authority. Our craft in what they call Russia is already under attack again using the same type of weapons," the commander said.

This was not good. How were they supposed to reach these people if all they wanted to do was kill them? Or at least stop them from doing something. Just what was that something?

"Beam is ready, Commander. Target is in range."

"Control beam?" Rick asked since he knew what this ship was capable of doing.

"The locals are sending what they call a B-2 bomber that's loaded with a nuclear device. Based on their level of technology there'll be a laser pointer directed at us that won't lock on. So instead they'll pick something next to us," the commander explained.

"So we take control of the bomber and send it to anywhere we want it to go. Then what?" Rick asked.

"We continue to wait for the decision by the council," Commander Borders said.

"Sir, scans show that all of the military personnel are in full retreat," the commander was advised.

"They're trying to save their people but will allow the civilians to be sacrificed thinking that their little bomb won't do that much damage. Satisfactory losses." Rick shook his head.

"You're starting to think like them," Commander Borders warned.

"Goes with the job. I just have to forget all I've learned. Can I do what I do if I didn't?" Rick queried.

"No, that's why you're a Gort rider." He knew there weren't that many of them. What they did was just too hard for the rest of them. "Activate the beam. Take control and send it back to where it came from," Commander Borders ordered.

"Beam active."

"If they're doing it here are they doing at the other sites?" Rick asked.

"Not at present that I know about."

Rick stood around and listened to the B-2 bomber being sent back and eventually landing at the base it came from, then listened to confirmation of all of its systems being fried.

The crew was still alive though the unit was basically rendered inoperative for the duration. Granted they likely had others and might try again, but Commander Borders doubted it unless they really were that stupid.

"Now we wait?" Rick asked.

"Now we wait. You might want to stick close to your Gort just in case."

"Yes, sir. Rick turned to leave. "What about the human female I saved?"

"She's still in medical. It's where she's going to stay for now until we're sure there's no infection. Then we'll decide." Commander Borders really wasn't sure just what to do with her. They weren't here to kill and yet was she going to accept what they had done to her to save her life? Humans, they were learning, were just different.

Rick left and went down to his Gort unit and waited.

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

"What do you mean it's flying itself? You're the pilots, gain control over your own aircraft!"

Everything they did produced no results. They couldn't find any faults or warnings but the plane refused to accept any inputs from them. They both sat there and watched as it turned around and went back the way they had come. Shutting everything down was out of the question unless they wanted to fall out of the sky and crash.

They had their orders and while dropping a small nuclear device in the middle of Manhattan sounded like a seriously stupid idea to both of them, it was what their orders told them to do. But being forced by some outside source, as far as they could tell, to go back to the airbase they had left from and not drop their weapon on the city was welcome news. Especially when it wasn't their fault.

They landed and when they came to a stop still on the runway they both watched as sparks flew and there was even a small fire that they had to put out by hand. They couldn't even bring up the fault displays to find out what had happened. Everything on the plane was dark.

Then came the debriefing while maintenance crews checked out the plane to find out what had happened.

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

"It's impossible. That alien craft was still a few hundred miles away. It's a stealth bomber." Stuff like this just didn't happen.

"We have the debriefing report from the pilots and the initial review from the maintenance workers. The entire electrical system is fried. That includes the emergency data recorders. They never even had a chance to turn off their transponder. Thanks to that it's the only reason we know where they even flew," one of them stated.

"It may be worse than that. The aliens can hack our flight systems and destroy circuitry from long distance. Override our security systems and do what they please," another one reported.

"Then why are they here? We've lost only material and assets and yet not a single person has been killed or injured. Even when they had their weapons destroyed while holding them it didn't leave a mark on them," one of them said in obvious confusion.

"So what do we tell the president?" one of them asked.

"Nothing! Absolutely nothing. Officially only the president's allowed to deploy nuclear ordinance and we just tried to circumvent that. Unless we want to spend the rest of our lives in prison or shot, we say nothing," General Reacher thundered since he liked his life and his position. He got nodding heads in return. They liked their skins, too.

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

Rick was tired of standing around so he sat on the floor next to the foot and then patted it. Actually being close to it was comforting somehow.

"Thought I might find you here. Your human female is awake and filled with questions."

Technically she wasn't his female. All he'd done was pick her up and bring her in for medical treatment. "I've been ordered to stay with my Gort unit. I can't leave just yet. …Unless I ask." That got him up and walking to a panel on the wall.

"I need to speak with Commander Boarders, please. This is Colonel Castle," Rick said and waited. "The human female is awake, I'm told, and filled with questions. Permission to go to medical. I'm in my combat suit, sir." If he was needed he just needed to get here.

"Permission granted. I believe we're just waiting for the council to reach a decision." The commander ended the communication.

"Looks like I'm all yours." Rick saw him smile. Rick was betting he didn't want to be the one to tell her what they had done to save her life.

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

Rick found her sitting up on a medical bed, dressed in coveralls someone had given her. "Well, you're looking better."

Kate was feeling better, all right. Save that her left shoulder was hurting and her left arm wasn't doing what she wanted it to do. "Who are you, where am I, and what happened to me? My left arm barely works at all." She even tried to move it and got almost nothing.

"That's a long story." It was going to take a lot for her to understand and likely even believe.

"Start with the short version. And where are my clothes and my weapon?" A police officer didn't just lose his or her weapon. Losing that was trouble.

"Short version. My name is Richard Castle. You were injured when what we believe was a shot from a military vehicle was deflected by my Gort unit and landed near you. You were injured so I picked you up and brought you to our ship. You are presently in the medical bay after undergoing emergency surgery to repair the damage."

"Okay, the long version," Kate asked since most of what he had said didn't make any sense to her. "Start with my arm and why it doesn't move. Or do I need a doctor to explain it?" She hated doctors and hated hospitals. This didn't look like any hospital she had ever seen and yet it sure felt like one.

"Long version, then. I had orders to exit the ship in my Gort unit. Once I did someone fired a shot and hit me. I responded to the violence in a non-injuring type manner. In response your military attacked me with every weapon they had. When they did one of their rounds hit you and injured you for which I'm sincerely sorry. I couldn't leave you lying on the ground to bleed and die. That's not me or us."

"Gort?" Kate had never heard the word before except in a movie so how did a movie fit into all of this?

"Big guy." Rick used his arms to try and show really big. "Arms, legs, big orange eye in his head. About thirty or so feet tall. Though technically he's 33.333349 feet tall." Rick smiled at her since he was trying to inject a little humor.

"That was you!? You're an alien?" He didn't look very alien to her and he certainly didn't look like Gort.

"Gort's a machine that I climb into and manipulate from the inside. And technically you're the alien here, but yeah, I'm an alien. You're presently inside our ship. That big glowing pyramid. You had to have seen it."

"Of course I've seen it!" Kate yelled at him. She didn't need to be patronized by some good looking alien guy. "What about my arm?" What had these aliens done to her? If she didn't like it she wanted her weapon back so she could shoot someone.

"About your arm." Oh, he just knew this wasn't going to go over well. "Whatever they shot at me landed next to you and blew up. Made this nice hole in the ground that I found you in. It sort of…blewyourarmoff." He said it really fast so that maybe she didn't notice.

"IT WHAT!?" Kate used her good arm to touch her bad arm yet again and it felt just fine. She could even feel her touching the arm on the bad arm that didn't work.

"Your arm, shoulder, three ribs, and your left lung," Rick told her and took a step back so he could get a head start when or if she came after him. Except she didn't. She just sat there and moved her dead arm with her good arm then started feeling her shoulder. It all felt fine. It just didn't work.

"The doctor said you were gong to need physical therapy to adjust in how to make your new arm work the way you want it to. In some ways it's actually better than the old one. You just need to learn how to use it again." Rick didn't move one direction or the other. He watched as she slumped in a defeated manner. "I'm truly sorry. But we gave you an arm and saved your life. And you'll learn how to use it in time. You'll be good as new in no time." This time Rick did step closer and took her bad hand in one of his.

"I and we didn't mean for it to happen. …Do you want to look around since you're up? If you feel up to it." Maybe that would help her a little.

"Sure, what the hell." Maybe if she found a weapon she could shoot someone over all this. She had just come to deliver a box of tasers and now look at the mess she was in.

Kate slid off the bed and found her legs didn't want to work properly, either. But she instantly found the good looking alien wrapping his arms around her to hold her up. He was really close and so was his face and his lips and all of him. "Nice and slow." He moved to her bad side and helped hold her up. "That way to the door or should I put you back on the medical bed?" Maybe she wasn't up to this and maybe he should be asking for the doctor's permission first.

"I'm fine, just need to get moving again." Kate took a step.

Once at the door and opening it didn't show her much. It was just a corridor with a couple of people walking.

"I think this way first." They were at the very top of the pyramid and there was some glass that looking out onto the large bay below. With a little effort they might even see his Gort unit.

Kate found that the more she walked the easier it got. However, her left arm still refused to move. She watched as a large window area was coming up. She was thinking maybe she would be able to see outside.

Instead when they stopped she didn't see outside, she saw inside. "OH-MY-GOD!"


	5. Chapter 5

**Home**

_Chapter 5_

"OH-MY-GOD!" Kate knew her mouth had fallen open but she did nothing about it. It was too amazing a sight to behold. She was she didn't know exactly how many stories high and yet that was impossible. She saw what she took to be supports from the tip just above her all the way down the side to the very bottom.

"This is impossible." Kate tried to look straight down but found she couldn't get her head out far enough. Then she looked around. There were rooms behind her and countless rooms below her. It was unbelievable.

"This way." Rick helped her back down the corridor the way they'd come until he reached a transit pod, helped her inside, and off they went. When it stopped he helped her out and onto the deck she had seen far below. Not far away was Gort. Just standing there, though he had a hole in his chest and a walkway reaching out to it.

"You get inside that?" That wasn't how the Gort she knew worked.

"There aren't that many of us. Gort riders, I mean. My people tend to have a problem with tight spaces. Only a few of us can deal with it for long enough to be of service. You want to see? It won't work for you." Rick saw her smile that was answer enough for him.

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

"What are these?" Kate found a place to put her arms and legs and put hers in them save for her left arm which refused. "Why is it so big?" The Gort she knew was taller than an ordinary man and just as dangerous looking like this thing.

"The power source is rather large but it needs to be large. It doesn't just use a weapon. Its arms and legs are also weapons. If the target's large we need those long and powerful arms," Rick explained.

"So you have a military." Maybe they weren't as great as they thought of themselves as.

"We are a police force. We and the other planets don't have any militaries. They aren't needed. We maintain the peace."

Kate wasn't sure she believed it. It was sounding just like the movie Gort was in. She repeated the words, "Gort Klaatu Barada Nikto."

"What was that?" Rick had no idea what she had just said.

"You don't know those words?" How could he not know those words? In fact how did he even know English?

"Never heard that language before," Rick said.

"How do you know English?" Kate asked him.

"I don't. Translator. Everyone has one. Even you now. You look tired." Rick thought she was slumping from fatigue. He'd kept going too long for her own good. "We should get you back to medical." Rick reached in and lifted her out of his Gort unit.

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

Kate realized she was exhausted as she lay on the medical bed. "How is it bigger on the inside? Is this a TARDIS?"

"A what?" She was still using words he'd never heard before. Maybe it was the translator after all. He would have to have that looked into.

"TARDIS, Time And Relative Dimension In Space," Kate said, hoping she got the words correct.

"Dimension sounds right. We use dimensional technology to make ships bigger on the inside. In fact the doors I go in and out of are a lot bigger than you might think. However we haven't solved the problem about just how big the interior can ultimately be. We've reached a barrier that we can't cross yet. I've heard that we tried to make two of them and then attach them and create a door between them, but that didn't work." Rick saw her close her eyes.

"Go to sleep. …Maybe next time you can tell me your name." Rick stroked her good arm.

"Kate," she whispered and fell asleep.

At least Rick had a name but he still had more questions for her. He went over to a panel on the wall. "Inform Commander Borders that Kate, the human female, is back in medical and sleeping; I'm reporting to my Gort unit." Rick killed the communication and went to a transit pod to reach his Gort unit.

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

The rest of the day had been uneventful as far as Rick was concerned. Before retreating to his cabin he checked in on Kate who was still asleep.

"She complained that she couldn't get her arm to move at all," Rick said to the doctor.

"It's to be expected. The signals she sends to her muscles to get them to move and make her arm and fingers move are the same for this arm. It's just that this isn't the arm she's used to. She can make the arm and fingers work, it is just going to take her some time." The doctor wasn't concerned. She was going to need physical therapy. "Has the commander said anything about what we're to do with her?" he asked him since he seemed to be involved.

"We haven't discussed anything about her yet. I don't know what he's thinking," Rick answered. He wasn't sure she had an option except to be taken off the ship and be left to her own devices. He didn't think her leaving with them was an option.

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

Roy hung up his phone since he wasn't getting anywhere. Even worse, he'd sent Espo and Ryan down to the military in the park that were watching the alien ship. Only to have them return and tell him that all of the military had pulled out even faster than they'd shown up. They'd left a lot of trash and yet the pyramid was still just sitting there.

Roy looked up at a knock on his door. Instead of seeing what he wanted to see, which was Beckett standing there, he saw Espo and Dr. Parrish.

"Anything, sir?" Roy saw concern on both of their faces and he didn't blame them. He was just as concerned.

"Nothing. I can't even find out if she delivered the tasers. Uniforms did find her cruiser at the edge of the park where the military had been stopping everyone. I've got two officers trying to search the park in the area which is all I can spare." The public had calmed down after the short fight that the military had obviously had, given all the noise they'd made. It was just that if anyone lost they hadn't lost anything.

"Permission–" Espo never made it any further.

"Granted. Take Ryan and Hastings with you. I can't even find out why the military has pulled out. It might be possible that she was forced to go with them, but I can't even find out where they went." Roy was stymied in his attempts to find his missing detective.

"What about reports of all the flashes of white light?" Espo queried.

"I can't get anything better than that. All the witnesses say is that there were a lot of flashes of white light. When you're there go up to roofs and see if you can find civilians manning telescopes. Maybe they saw something. It's aliens, maybe they're afraid to talk," Roy suggested.

"Yes, sir." Espo left him, rounded up Kevin and Ann, and went down to their cruiser.

"Dr. Parrish?" She was still here. He didn't have anything else to tell her, either.

"Ping her phone maybe?" Lanie asked since she knew that was possible.

"Nothing, it's like her cell phone doesn't exist. We know the last time a cell tower had her phone which places her in the park at the time which corresponds with the reports of flashes of light. We found her cruiser easy enough thanks to the ping we got off of it," Roy explained.

"Aliens took her?" Lanie was grasping at straws and she knew it.

"You're free to go down there and ask them if you want, though I would argue against that." Granted getting into the park now was easy with the military being gone. He was betting trying to keep the public out was now gong to be left to them.

"Something else, Doctor?" Roy saw Lanie was still standing there.

Lanie didn't know what to ask. Her best friend was out there somewhere and she didn't know where. "No, sir." Lanie turned to leave.

"We're trying to find her, Dr. Parrish. I promise." Roy felt for her. He needed to find her for any number of reasons.

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

Rick was putting on his combat suit when his badge beeped at him. "Castle here."

"Report to the bridge, Colonel Castle."

"On my way." Rick finished in a hurry and jogged to the closest transit pod to reach the bridge.

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

"Commander, Colonel Castle reporting as ordered." Rick waited.

"As you're aware, prior to us taking over their bomber all of their military left the area. However, the other three ships still have military, including new equipment, surrounding them. Ours left and have yet to return," Commander Borders reminded him.

"Yes, sir. Do you want me out to find them, sir?" He could do a recon mission and see if he could find them. They really couldn't hurt him with their primitive weapons.

"Negative, we've been informed that the council's response to what we've encountered will be arriving shortly. Once we receive it we'll analyze what it says and proceed based on what it tells us. Once the response has been delivered to the people of this planet we will all be retreating to the main ship and wait for orders.

"I need you down to your Gort and make sure it is secured for transit. We may be leaving soon," Commander Borders said.

"Yes, sir, very good, sir." Rick turned to leave then paused. "Sir, what do we do with the human female who says her name is Kate?" They had rescued her and repaired the damage done. But she still needed help.

"We will keep her for now. Once we leave this planet we will decide what to do with her before we leave this system."

"Yes, sir." He was pretty sure she wasn't going to like this. He wasn't sure he liked it or would like it if it was him instead of her.

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

Roy Montgomery was sitting in his office wondering just what he could do that he hadn't tried to find his lost detective, when suddenly the lights went off. Looking up he saw not just the lights in his office but the lights on the entire floor.

Picking up the phone to call it in got him nothing since the phone was dead. He knew this building was old but it wasn't that kind of old. He took out his cell phone and couldn't even get it to turn on. "What the?" This wasn't right so he was up and out of his office and saw everyone else was in the same boat.

"My watch isn't working either," one of them on the floor pointed out. That had Roy and everyone else looking at their watches. All of them had stopped. Since it was daytime it was hard to tell if it was just them in their old building from here.

Going down the stairs, Roy ran into other officers with the same problem. Going out the front door showed that it wasn't just them. Every car on the street had stopped and all of the drivers were out talking. The traffic lights both directions were also out.

The one thing Roy did notice was that there was no sound. No horns were honking and no cars of any kind were running.

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

"And?" the colonel of the Naval base in Virginia questioned when his sergeant came back to report what he had found.

"We're dead, sir. No car anywhere will start. None of the ships will fire up. All of our radio capability is down. We're dead."

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

Rodney Bonnafan was on the Interstate and he didn't care about speed limits. He was doing 85 in a 70 mile per hour limit. He had just turned the wheel to go around yet another car when suddenly his car just died. The radio that had been blasting out his song quit. Even worse, his power steering quit on him and he was in a turn. It took him off the road and he slammed into the barrier that was between interstate roads.

It was violent and it caused his air bags to deploy. That and his seat belt was all that saved his life. All the other cars as far as could be seen also stopped working.

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

Alex Vigor was working his fields when his tractor just up and quit on him. He was a long ways from the house and it refused to start for him no matter what he did. Looking around told him that he was all alone.

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

The train was totally loaded just like it always was. People were on the roof of every car and lots more were hanging on to whatever part of each car they could get a solid hold of when suddenly the train just started slowing down until it stopped.

The ones on the roof stood up and looked around. They saw automobiles stopping with their owners getting out and lifting the hood. The ones hanging on refused to let go and stayed right where they were.

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

The Secret Service didn't know what to do. All of their radios were down. They wanted to get the president down to his bunker under the White House but that meant using the elevator and it was dead. Trying to get the emergency generator to work was a no go. The White House was dark and dead.

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

Admiral Travis was in Space Command in Cheyenne Mountain in his trailer watching what was happening everywhere when suddenly everything went dark. Literally everything. He and the others in Cheyenne Mountain stayed right where they were and waited for the emergency generator to kick in.

But it didn't. Even worse none of the battery operated bug eyes for emergency lights came on, either. Groping for a cell phone in his pocket gained him nothing. He couldn't see it or anything else and his phone refused to light up. Someone else had managed to lift a phone.

"The phones are dead." Then someone managed to make it to the door that got them out of this trailer and allowed access to other trailers sitting on massive springs and found the outside was just as dark.

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

Rick answered his tag. "Castle here."

"Report to the bridge, Colonel."

A quick transit pod ride and he was walking toward Commander Borders.

"We have a response from the council. Our orders are to get the attention of everyone on the planet first then deliver the message. I need you in your Gort, outside, and ready. Same orders apply. Weapons only no deaths. All four ships will be transmitting the message."

"Sir." Rick ran to a transit pod, went up to his Gort, hurried inside and activated Suzie. "We're going outside again, Suzie. Run a diagnostic for me."

"Power is at 99%. Running diagnostic. …Computer systems are operational. There is no external or internal damage detected. All systems are active. We are free to move. I am disconnecting from the station."

Three steps later and Rick was outside. It only took a second to scan the area and lock onto any weapons in the area. There were next to none and the ones they did scan were all small hand held weapons. Nothing was a threat to them.

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

"Are we ready?" Commander Borders and the other commanders had come up with an idea that hopefully wouldn't cause any deaths and yet really get the attention of everyone on the planet before they sent out the message.

"All systems and ships report ready, Commander."

"Execute," he commanded and the electricity everywhere on the planet was canceled out. Further, every watch on the planet was magnetized so that no one would know how much time was expiring.

The only things not affected were those things that didn't require any electricity or any kind or clocks that weren't electric. Only those clocks like Big Ben kept on working.

There were a few exceptions. Every hospital on the planet was unaffected. Every aircraft already in the air was also not affected. Every nuclear power plant was unaffected. Several hundred people in elevators all over the planet, though, were affected.

Every air conditioning unit everywhere stopped working and that including every hot spot on the planet. Anyone locked in a room that required the input of a code were trapped where they were.

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

Lindsey Travis and her husband were traveling by airplane for London where they would start a week long vacation. They were sitting on the tarmac in the baking hot sun of Atlanta, Georgia in August. Their plane had suddenly just ceased working and stopped. All of the lights went out and the engines had stopped running. Worse, all of the air conditioning and even the blowing of air had stopped. They had no idea how long it had been already.

They couldn't even use the stewardess call button to ask what was going on and the captain had said nothing to them.

Then suddenly the monitors on the back of the headrests crackled and came to life but at first it was just snow and everyone could hear it over the speaker system of the plane. You didn't need headphones to hear it.

Then a voice began speaking and the screen showed a set of rings that vibrated with each word that was said.

Every speaker everywhere suddenly gave out a signal and a voice was heard. Every radio in every car suddenly started working but no matter what station you changed it to it didn't change.

Even the general and every officer in pitch black Cheyenne Mountain suddenly heard every speaker make a noise then a voice started speaking.

Every teenager everywhere found her phone talking and every ear bud that were still in their ears or not started talking everywhere.

Even the radios and TV in the 12th Precinct came to life.

"_We of the other planets have listened and watched for years. You are an extremely violent people. We of the other planets have done away with our military violence. In its place we have a police force. We presently have four police space ships on your planet. Our police force is extremely capable. They have complete and total control to maintain the peace that cannot be revoked._

_Any planet, nation, or individual that instigates violence is dealt with instantly, completely, and irrevocably. As a result we live in peace. Free of any armies and violence that they provoke._

_We do not believe that we have achieved perfection, however, we have a system and it works._

_We came to your planet to determine just how violent your planet truly is. In each case our ships and the people manning them were attacked without us causing the start of violence. We only responded to show you what our police force is capable of doing in even a tiny engagement._

_We care nothing for how you rule your own planet. However if you want to join the other planets you will need to eliminate all of your violent natures. If you bring your violence out of your atmosphere into space we will be forced to respond._

_The result will be the total annihilation of the human race. If that means we reduce your planet to a cloud of dust orbiting your sun then we will do so. We did not come here to kill and we have not injured or killed anyone at this point._

_This does not mean you will lose any freedoms except the freedom to act irresponsibly. To attempt to become another __Omar al-Bashir—Sudan; Kim Jong-il—North Korea; Than Shwe—Burma; Robert Mugabe—Zimbabwe; Islam Karimov—Uzbekistan; Hu Jintao—China; King Abdullah—Saudi Arabia; Saparmurat Niyazov—Turkmenistan; Seyed Ali Khamenei—Iran. Teodoro Obiang Nguema—Equatorial Guinea; Muammar al-Gaddafi—Libya, King Mswati III—Swaziland; Pervez Musharraf—Pakistan; Aleksandr Lukashenko—Belarus; Fidel Castro—Cuba; Isaias Afwerki—Eritrea and Meles Zenawi—Ethiopia; Bashar al-Assad—Syria; Paul Biya—Cameroon; Choummaly Sayasone—Laos; Joseph Stalin—Russia; Adolf Hitler—Germany; George W. Bush—United States; __Mao Zedong—China; Pol Pot—Cambodia._

_Just to name a select few in your history._

_We will be leaving shortly and awaiting your response. The choice is yours. Live with the other planets in peace and profit from that peace like we do, or attempt to extend your violence out into space and threaten the other planets and become extinct._

_This is the message we came here to deliver. Your darkness has lasted for one of your hours at this point. It will continue for another seven of your hours at which point we will leave your planet and watch and wait for your response by your actions, not your words, since you are also prone to lying easily._


	6. Chapter 6

**Home**

_Chapter 6_

Rick watched the message and wasn't paying attention to anything else. He was too engrossed with what was being said. They were police and they'd never had to do what they were talking about yet. The threat alone had always been enough to keep the peace. Did they really have to kill off an entire race to keep the peace? They would if that what was called for. Still it would be a first. No race was so dedicated to violence that they were willing to die for it.

"Rick, the weapon targets are retreating." Suzie snapped him out of his head and he looked at his screens. He doubted it had anything to do with the message. No race changed overnight and this one had a long ways to go before it was going to be capable of moving out into space. Even local space, let alone interstellar space.

However, he or someone just like him would be here watching and waiting. Even as advanced as they were already, they still had a long ways to go. They would be able to keep the peace for generations to come.

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

Rick watched what he was capable of scanning and an occasional weapon popped up but it always went away. He was a little amazed that none of the people tried to come see. Maybe the message had gotten to them and they were staying away. Maybe they didn't really believe that the military was gone.

Still he stood his watch until he was ordered to come home.

"Plug yourself in, Suzie. Inform the maintenance crew of any damage or faults," Rick said.

"Power is still at 99%. Running diagnostics. …No damage external or internal is detected. Computer systems are operational. Based on hours of operation it is suggested that maintenance of the power system be done as well as a computer system upgrade."

"Send the message to maintenance for the work to be completed," Rick ordered.

"Message sent," Suzie replied almost instantly.

"Good night, Suzie." Rick began shutting her down.

"Good night. Say hello to the human female for me." That had him pausing in his shut down. Suzie had never acted like this before so what was different now?

"She said her name is Kate." Rick finished the shut down and exited his Gort unit.

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

Rick had gone to his cabin to shower and change into more casual clothes. Then he took a tube to medical where he found Kate still sleeping.

"Hi, Doc, how's she doing?" Rick inquired when he came in and checked on her.

The doctor smiled. "She's doing fine. Her body's not rejecting her implants more than anticipated. With time she will no longer need injections to prevent rejection. Her body will learn to adapt to them. It will help if she works on her physical therapy."

"When will that therapy start?" She'd complained about not getting her arm to work though she had walked around even with it not working though he could tell it had bothered her.

"That's up to the commander. I don't know how long she's staying with us," the doctor said.

Yeah, he didn't know how long she was staying with them, either. He watched her sleep after the doctor had left.

"I'm still sorry that you were hurt." He was convinced that somehow it was his fault. Rick found himself stroking her face with a finger. She was lovely and had proven that she was smart. He knew she'd been found with a weapon that had been destroyed. Only police were allowed to wield weapons even if hers was ancient.

Rick made a decision. He just needed to convince the commander who would likely have to convince the people above him.

He was almost to the bridge. "All hands prepare for transit from atmosphere to space and docking with our mothership." That told Rick they'd already left the planet and were on their way out into space.

Rick stood on the bridge and waited until they had docked with their ship to travel home on. Now with the ship in flight was not a good time to talk with the commander about what he wanted to talk about.

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

"Colonel Castle, what can I help you with?" Commander Borders knew as Rick did that out in space his job as Gort rider was no longer required. A Gort was only used for ground duty.

"It's about Kate, the human female that we still have onboard," Rick said.

Commander Borders raised an eyebrow at him calling her Kate. He wondered if Colonel Castle was going soft on her. Not that he minded exactly. Just that a long distance relationship with someone on a planet that they presently had no intention of setting foot on again anytime soon was going to be hard to pull off.

"I'm listening." Maybe he had a solution that didn't interfere with the duties of this ship.

"Kate's going to need extensive physical therapy to get her new arm working properly. I doubt that anyone on her planet is going to understand the technology. If she injures that arm she's going to need some cans of our spray skin to cover the damage. What if she runs out?

"Also if we bring her with us we can question her, study her for lack of a better term, to better understand her race. Find out why they're so violent. That list that was given was rather long. Perhaps even anticipate what they will do next. What if they build military ships on the ground instead of in orbit and then launch them?" Okay, he was stretching it with that last one.

How could they be a threat with ships built on the ground using an FTL drive that they hadn't even tested yet. Or maybe they had used unarmed civilian ships to test the drive with.

Commander Borders had to admit that it seemed he had actually thought this through and wasn't just asking because he had a thing for this human female named Kate. Still…

"It isn't up to me but I'll pass all of that along after you send it to me with your name on it." It meant Rick would get the credit or the blame which ever way it went.

Oops, Rick hadn't thought of that. He did this and he would be sticking his neck out a little. Still Gort riders were hard to come by so he had an advantage.

"Yes, sir, thank you, sir. I'll get that sent to your attention as soon as possible." Rick left him to return to his cabin so he could write down all he'd just said.

Commander Borders stood there with a smile on his face. Yep, he was betting Colonel Castle had been bitten. Not literally, of course, but even that might actually happen later.

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

Rick walked into medical and found Kate sitting up. There were wires coming out of her arm routed to a small device next to her. There was also a man dressed in casual clothes like he was, talking to her.

"Again, try and move your left index finger," Rick heard him ask her.

"Better," he stated since they had both watched it twitch just a bit. Kate actually had a smile on her face now. "That's it for today. Keep up with your exercises. You can't over do it so try and get your fingers to move as much as you like. I'll be back tomorrow."

He unplugged his device and walked past Rick on his way out. Rick watched as she ran her fingers over where he had connected to her arm. Then she saw Rick and her smile vanished.

"You didn't tell me it was a mechanical arm!" She had thought that they had reattached her old arm, not turned her into a robot or worse. ROBOCOP!

"It didn't occur to me. Cloning's outlawed for obvious reasons. So you have a mechanical arm, metal shoulder, and an artificial left lung. With the use of our spray on skin no one will ever notice. You didn't," Rick mentioned and risked walking up to her.

He had a point. Her dead arm looked just like it was supposed to. It was just that it was a fake arm that supposedly worked. Rick saw her facial features soften so he guessed he wasn't in too much trouble.

"You should have told me." She was still angry at him, just not as much now.

"I take it that it works now?" At least a little.

"Barely." Kate looked down and willed her fingers to move again and got something at least. "Something about learning to send the right signals to my arm." He'd gotten all technical on her and that was what she had reduced it down to. She had to get used to doing it automatically like she had done growing up with a real arm.

"OH GOD!" Kate had thought of something thanks to her now having a fake arm and fake lung.

"What! Do I need to get the doctor?" Rick was now suddenly scared something was seriously wrong with her and that worried him greatly.

"I'M ALMOST DARTH VADER!" All she needed was for her other arm and legs and maybe a little more replaced. End up stuck in a suit that made her sound like she had a really bad case of asthma and couldn't breathe.

"And that's bad?" Rick had no idea who or even what a Darth Vader was.

"YES! THAT'S BAD!" Kate yelled. Then she used her good arm to point at him. "I am not turning to the dark side. …Got it!" She even poked him in the chest. Then she started laughing. It had finally struck her that she was arguing about being a fictional character in a movie. The Jedi didn't even exist. The Force didn't exist, light or dark.

"Got it." Even if he still had no idea what the hell she was talking about. He was smiling, pleased that she was laughing about something even if he didn't understand it. She looked a lot prettier when she smiled and laughed. "Hungry or do you not need to eat? Seeing as how half of you is mechanical now." Rick smiled as he teased her.

"Starving!" Kate exclaimed. "It's only my lung not my stomach. Unless you plan on shooting me again." Kate teased him since she knew it wasn't him that had shot her.

"I didn't shoot you. If I had you would be just a couple of pieces of dust floating in the wind." Then he saw her grinning at him. "Oh, I see. So that's how it's going to be. Maybe I should just leave you here and let you find the cafeteria on your own," Rick arched his eyebrows and looked at her.

"I'm coming." Kate hopped off her bed, almost fell over, and found herself in his arms yet again. With his face and lips really close once more.

"You okay?" Maybe she should stay here after all.

"I'm fine. It's this stupid arm. Makes me unbalanced." It refused to move so doing anything like walking or even just standing more of a challenge.

Rick stayed close until she had proved that she could walk without falling over.

"So how big is this ship really?" Kate asked as they walked to the pod.

"Twenty-three decks though only half of the ship actually has decks as you have seen. It's designed to hold three Gort units, however, each ship only has the one at the moment." The rest of the ship was open space. "We have a crew of 89 at the moment. Two different bridge crews. Two engineering crews. One medical and two maintenance crews. Along with cooks and other odd jobs."

"So is this ship armed? Is it just you and your Gort?" Kate questioned him as she stood next to him while they went from medical to the cafeteria deck. She'd noticed that all you had to do was step in and tell it where you wanted to go. It reminded her a little of Star Trek.

This ship and him were a real mix of science fiction movies, that was for sure.

"My Gort unit is only for ground work and combat. This ship itself is heavily armed. Heavy armor and strong shields. Even my Gort unit can't scratch it," Rick explained. Then they arrived at the right deck and stepped out.

Going through a door Kate's stomach growled at the smell of this room. She put her good hand on her stomach as it betrayed her.

Kate saw that there were people in here and most were wearing the same uniform though a few had more casual clothes on like Rick did.

"Grab a tray and tell him what you want or just point," Rick said as she slid her tray down the counter and found that it slid so easily she could easily turn it into a projectile easily if she wanted.

Now came the hard part. None of it was tagged and she had no idea what any of it was. So she went back to her freshman year at college and the cafeteria where she ate. If she couldn't figure out what it was or didn't look good she didn't eat it.

In the end she had half of what Rick had chosen. Next came what to drink. There were three choices and it said something but the words didn't tell her anything. So she watched Rick get what he wanted and did the same since it didn't look so had found that carrying her tray with one hand had been amazingly easy. It wasn't even close to being out of balance.

"I thought you said you were hungry?" Rick asked after they sat down across from each other.

"I don't know what any of this is. I took what I thought was edible and wouldn't make me sick," Kate whispered to him since she didn't want to offend anyone in the room.

Rick laughed at her which had her glaring at him. "In that case taste test what you have and you can taste test what I have then go back for more of what you do like." Rick slid his tray closer to hers until they touched; he sat back and watched.

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

Rick watched as Kate sat back down with a new tray and transferred what she did like from her old tray to her new one and began eating.

"Happy now?" Rick asked her and all he got back was a kind of hum as she continued to eat.

Kate was done and had amazed even herself that she had eaten it all. Good thing sleeping was a few hours away since she was sure she had eaten too much.

"Do I want to know what any of that was?" She had eaten what had tasted pretty good. However, she feared he was going to say something like it had come from the insides of some slimy sea creature.

"Probably not. Might be best to stick with what-you-don't-know-won't-hurt-you," Rick said and Kate nodded. He was probably right. At least until her stomach rejected something.

"So what do you do around here for fun and where do I sleep?" Kate asked him as they continued to sit there.

"With me," Rick told her and saw the look of shock on her face. "The ship's full; we don't have any spare cabins to put you in. But don't worry, I have bunk beds like most cabins. Unless you want to sleep in someone else's cabin that you haven't even met yet."

"No, bunk beds are fine." At least they weren't sharing a bed. There was no way they were doing that. He was nice, but he wasn't that nice. "Um, what do I wear." Kate had learned that she still had her bra and panties but the rest of her clothes, including her boots, were missing.

Rick was all set to suggest naked but was pretty sure that wouldn't go over well. "We can fix that. You're not the only female on this ship, you know. And I'll even let you be on top."

Kate's mind went straight into the gutter with that. She was sure a blush was working its way up so she grabbed her drink and hid behind the glass as she sipped.

She watched him and he just kept looking at her like he normally did. She was willing to admit that he was easy on the eyes and he was certainly fit.

"Not married? No one back home wherever that is?" Kate inquired.

"No, never married or mated with anyone as we call it. Just me and Mother. I never met my father and there are no children. A few cousins here and there. Basically a small family," Rick shrugged. "You?"

"Never married. It's just me and my dad. Mom is…gone. A few cousins that I haven't seen since I was little. We have a small family, too," Kate told him. That was a white lie. She had met a lot of the extended family at her mother's funeral and gathering at their place after that.

"Richard Castle." Rick reached out his hand and Kate took it to shake it.

"Kate Beckett."

"So you know what I do for a living. What do you do back home?" Rick was curious. His plan meant keeping her busy with something while she did her physical therapy.

"I'm a homicide detective for the city of New York. 12th precinct," Kate said proudly.

That was a shock to Rick. He knew she had been found with a weapon that had been disposed of, but it sounded like she was involved with that planet's violence. This was not good.

"Homicide detective? Meaning you do what exactly?" Maybe it wasn't as bad as it sounded.

"I respond to murders then work really hard to find out who killed them and bring them to justice so they can be held accountable for their crime. It's very rewarding. No one deserves to be killed. It brings closure to the families of the victims." It was hard work but Kate liked it. Plus she had one murder that still needed to be solved.

"I see." Okay so it wasn't as bad as he thought. However, it did present him with a problem: how to keep her occupied during her physical therapy.

Kate noticed that he wasn't running away from her though he did sound surprised. She was used to that, though. "So what happens next? …To me?" She was and yet wasn't a prisoner. At least they weren't treating her like one.

"That's not up to me. The commander of this ship is in charge of that. But there are a couple of things that you should know about. Better come with me." Rick got up and made sure Kate was following him.

"Where are we going?" They were back in a pod after waiting for one to show up.

Kate was learning that they worked similar to an elevator. It was just that they seemed to take you almost directly to any place you wanted to go.

"My cabin. You might as well see where you will be sleeping and I thought it might be best if you learned a couple of things in private." That way she could yell and scream at him all she wanted.

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

Kate had to admit that his cabin was tight quarters. He did indeed have bunk beds. A standing cabinet for clothes – that she didn't have yet – that had two doors and opening both of them showed her he was using both of them. He had a small desk attached to a wall that had two chairs and a bathroom. At least he had a nice big comfy-looking chair.

"So how long am I going to be here?" She wanted to go home. It was just that her left arm still didn't work.

"I've got something I need to show you." Rick knew everyone on the planet had seen this. It was just that she had been in medical when this had happened.

Kate stood there and watched him turn on a wall above this little desk that she hadn't even noticed. "Everyone on your planet has seen this save for you." Rick brought up the file and played it.

Rick switched between her and the recording of why they were here. She didn't show anything on her face and still didn't even after it ended.

"You came here to kill us all?" She couldn't believe it. Rick had been nothing but nice to her. They had even fixed her injuries even if she was now part robot.

"No, Kate, we didn't come here to kill you. We came here to warn you that if you continued your violence off your planet then we would be back to kill you. We're thinking it will take you generations to even be ready to leave your system and threaten the other planets."

To Kate it was all just words. They were going to kill them all. Just not today. Hell, at the rate they fought just each other it was going to happen some day.

She did however hear a word. "You're police." She was police but it sounded like they weren't. They were military.

"Correct. We patrol the planets and maintain the peace. If necessary we remove the person or people that started the attack. They pay for their hostility with their lives. As a result we have no military. There are no wars or mass killings like your planet has had or still has. Even today there's combat taking place as we speak. So far our system works. You might like it if you tried it." Though they either did try it and make it work or they all died.

"So I'm a prisoner?" If he was telling her the truth. Yet so far he had shown her everything.

"Prisoner, no. though there are two things to keep in mind. One is your arm and the physical therapy you still need. Your planet has nothing like your arm and can't help you. You're going to need our help with that."

Kate thought about it and was willing to admit that he had her there. Still she would like to at least be able to talk to her friends. Especially her dad.

"What's the other thing?" He had said two.

She watched him scrunch up his face and she hated the look for a number of reasons. One he didn't look nearly as handsome any longer and it also told her she wasn't going to like this one either.

"We're not on your planet any longer. We're out in space and docked to the ship that brought us here. We will likely be going home soon." He didn't know just when or how long they planned to watch the planet from here. But eventually and before Kate had finished her physical therapy, they would be leaving here.

"WE'RE WHAT!?" She was going to kill him.


	7. Chapter 7

**Home**

_Chapter 7_

Rick was sure she was going to blow up and try and hurt him. Instead all she did was stand there and stew in her own juices. He was guessing that since her face was red and she looked really angry.

"Who's in charge around here?" Kate asked him since it sounded like he was just someone. A Gort rider.

"That would be Commander Borders. He's in command of this ship and in overall command of this trip," Rick said, not sure why she needed to know.

"Take me to him." This guy, whoever he was, was going to get a piece of her mind.

"I'll see if I can arrange a meeting," Rick offered instead and went over to a panel on the wall.

"TAKE ME TO HIM! Or even with one arm tied behind my back we're both going to have something in common. We're both going to have one arm that doesn't work," Kate yelled and glared at him. "NOW TAKE ME TO HIM! NOW!"

"Right." Rick was sure this wasn't going to be good, but he would do it. "This way."

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

A quick pod trip later and Rick was telling her to wait here.

"LIKE HELL!" Kate wasn't waiting anywhere.

"He's on the bridge. A place that you don't have clearance to be. You'll be shot the instant you set foot on it. You need to wait here," Rick pleaded with her.

Kate groaned but gave in. "Fine, just get him over here," Kate told him or something was going to happen to him in his sleep.

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

Kate watched an older man, about her dad's age, walk into the room. "I'm told you have a problem," Commander Borders stated and stood there.

"I want to know when I can go home. I've been told we're out in space and you plan on leaving soon," Kate said. He was the man in charge and she couldn't risk blowing up at him.

"You are correct that we will be leaving soon. I'm also told that you have only just started your physical therapy. Just how much of your arm can you use at this time?" the commander inquired.

Kate willed for her arm to fucking move, but it didn't. After she concentrated one of her fingers moved a little.

"The applied science and electronic components in your arm are our latest technology. Once one of your governments finds out about it what will they do to you and your arm?" Borders asked her since he could guess. "Do they have the capability to teach you how to use it?" He also knew they couldn't.

Kate wanted to remain angry at them all. It wasn't her idea that she be there. But if they hadn't she would be dead. "Probably take it from me." They would take it and reverse engineer it, leaving her with one arm and out of a job.

"You're here because of Colonel Castle. You were here so I allowed you to stay. We do, however, have a plan for you if you're willing to give us your cooperation. I don't have the authority to allow you to go home wearing our technology. That is out of my hands," Borders said.

She was alive and she had a robot arm. Her arm and her lung were why she was trapped. Being trapped here was better than being dead, she guessed.

"I'm listening," Kate muttered.

"Keep in mind that if this was after your race had come out into space with a military ship that was armed we wouldn't be having this conversation. We would have done our job," he warned her so she understood just what her options were.

"Still listening."

"You're going to come with us. As we travel you are going to teach us about your race. We've never encountered a race so dedicated to violence. Do you have any idea how many conflicts are taking place on your planet even as we speak?" Borders queried; Kate shook her head.

"Thirty-two large enough for us to detect easily." Borders watched her cringe at that number. "We don't understand your people. So you are going to teach us. In return we will complete your physical therapy. Once we get home you can discuss a different deal with the council. A job, a home, something else.

"My question is do you want your race to live and survive? We are offering you a chance to teach us. Maybe it will be enough, maybe it won't. But if you don't like this offer we can remove your arm, your left shoulder and your left lung and take you home." Borders stood there and waited.

"Escort her to quarters, Colonel Castle. We will be leaving soon. You have about an hour to decide what you want to do." Borders stood there for a moment then turned to leave.

"I'll do it," Kate said quietly. She really didn't think she had a choice. Rick had saved her life and they had fixed her. If she gave up what they'd done her life wasn't going to be worth much. "On one condition." Kate watched him come to a stop. "I want to send a message to my dad. I don't know when or if I'll ever see him again and I don't want him to worry. Mom's dead and he's all the family I have left."

It took Commander Borders only a second to make his decision. "Granted. Colonel Castle will show you how to record it and we will send it if you can tell us where it goes. Perhaps this will work out for both of us. We're not murderers, Miss Beckett. We're police and we do our job. If it comes to it and your race is to be eliminated it won't be us making that decision. It will be the people on your planet. They have been warned. We will simply enforce the laws. I'm told you can understand that since you are police."

"Homicide detective," Kate agreed. "Thank you." She had at least gotten something out of this meeting. She watched him nod his head and leave.

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

Since Rick didn't know how long they had he took her to a room she had never been in before.

"Think about what you want to say while I set it up. Keep in mind this will be a 3D message so he'll see you, not just hear you," Rick warned her and got started.

Kate watched him doing something; she was a little shocked. She was thinking a simple recorded message. Not one that would allow her dad to see her. Looking down she looked like shit. She was still in these coveralls and she had no idea what her mess her hair was in.

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

"Stand here." Rick put her on a round pad. "If we have the time we can replay it and you can either approve or we can do it all over again. Ready?" Rick saw her nod, so he pressed a panel and pointed at her to start.

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

Kate gave him her dad's address and hoped he was home instead of at work.

"Scanning. …I have one human in the target location. On screen."

"That's him." Hesitantly Kate reached out and touched the screen. This might be as close as she was ever going to get to him again. She didn't know that, but it was possible.

"I need to send the message so I need to end this view." He couldn't do both. It was one or the other.

"All hands, prepare for FTL in five minutes. FTL in five," a voice suddenly announced.

"Sending," Rick said. Kate didn't know how long her message was but didn't think it lasted five minutes so she was safe.

"Message sent." Rick turned to look at her. "I'm really sorry, Kate. I couldn't just let you die. We didn't come here to kill anyone. We went out of our way to prevent it."

"I know and I appreciate it. You've been kind." Kate lowered her eyes, a little ashamed of her earlier behavior.

"All hands, FTL in one minute. FTL in one."

Kate didn't feel a thing so didn't see the need for the announcements but it told her they had cut it close for sending a message.

"So, back to the cabin so you can rest or are you hungry? The cafeteria's open all day in case you ever want just a snack. You'll have another physical therapy visit soon," Rick reminded her.

"Cafeteria please. …I don't suppose you have alcohol?" Kate asked hopefully.

"Not onboard ship no, sorry." Kate simply chalked it up to her luck.

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

Kate was back to taste testing what she had and what Rick had since what was available was totally different looking. This time taste testing was enough since she really wasn't all that hungry, she decided.

"So where am I going? What's it like?" Kate asked him since it looked like it was where she was going and didn't have a choice.

"Home is like nothing you've ever seen before. We have big cities and small cities. We don't have individual cars like I saw on your planet. Travel for everything you could want is via trains large and small. The very fastest trains are underground. They are worldwide and instead of flying everyone travels by train. Pods take you up and down to and from the trains. Pods are the closest we come to cars.

"Most buildings, though not all, are made of glass that also help produce electricity. A few are really tall. Home in our case has a massive space station in orbit where a lot of our people live. A lot of the planet has been converted to farming because of the station.

"There are seven planets in total. Each has a representative on the council. Each planet votes for its council member. They make all the rules and decisions that cover all seven worlds," Rick began to explain.

"Like what will happen to my planet," Kate said.

"Yes. The police only enforce the rules and laws that they apply."

"Sounds familiar," Kate admitted. "So what do I do when we get there? Where do I live? You do use money, right?"

"We have a few days to work that out before we get there," Rick assured her.

"Days!?" Kate gaped at him. Certainly they weren't that close! She'd never heard of an Earth-like planet anywhere near them let alone seven of them.

"FTL, faster than light," Rick said since he thought she understood that.

"I got that, but are you really that close?" She was thinking months if not longer being trapped on this ship.

"Depends on your point of view, I suppose. We use what we call an interstellar drive. If we wanted to we could use the same drive to reach a different galaxy, however, the trip would take a few months. We travel pretty fast. Have to if you're the police," Rick said as he shrugged a shoulder.

"Respond as fast as you can," Kate nodded. It might mean the difference between life and death.

"To answer your other questions, yes, we do use money. I don't know about what your police paid but ours is pretty good. Being a Gort driver I make more money than the commander on this trip. There aren't that many of us and we're vital."

"I do pretty well in tight spaces. Think I could be a Gort driver?" Then Kate laughed and saw the questioning look on his face.

"There's this black and white movie on my planet. _The Day the Earth Stood Still._ This little flying saucer shows up and lands in Washington D.C. Eventually out comes this guy dressed in a space suit. The military had it surrounded with tanks, artillery, and all kinds of weapons.

He pulled out this device and opened it. "This trigger happy kid on a tank shot him." Kate paused as she thought about the movie.

"Sounds familiar. Some took a shot at my Gort then everyone started firing. It's what got you injured," Rick reminded her. Kate nodded.

"Anyway while he's on the ground after being shot, this robot suddenly gets noticed and he walks down to stand next to him. Then his visor slowly opens up and out comes a white beam that disintegrates these rifles two men were holding. Then a tank and a pair of artillery pieces, before he's told to stop.

"Later in the picture you find out that the robot is named Gort." Kate chuckled at the similarity.

"Seriously?" Rick was a little amused. That robot and his Gort sounded similar except for a possible size.

"World War II was still on everyone's mind. This man named Klaatu had shown up to warn us that if we tried to spread our violence to the other planets then their police force, a race of robots in ships like the one they had shown up in, would burn the planet into a burned out rock, killing everyone." Kate shook her head. She was living a movie.

"That's why you said Klaatu something something. That's amazing! I can promise you we had no idea of your movie. This isn't a movie and the planet you're about to see isn't fake," Rick assured her. Still he couldn't help but laugh a little at the similarities.

"Gort," Kate chuckled.

"We can look into you being a Gort rider if you want. But you'll have to join our police force first and go through all that before then," Rick cautioned her.

"Go through police academy again." Kate sat back in her chair and reached for her bad arm that still refused to move.

"You're tired. We should go to the cabin and let you rest. Take a shower first while I go in search of clothing for you. Unless you like what you're wearing," Rick offered and waited.

She shook her head. "I'll take anything that isn't this."

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

"Strip and take a shower. It will also blow you dry so there are no towels. Let's see." Rick dug through his clothes looking for something for her to change into.

"How about shorts and a t-shirt? A little big for you but it's all I've got that might fit you." Rick put them on the upper bunk.

"It'll do. Thank you." He was being really kind to her. It didn't hurt that he was good looking, too.

"I'll be back. I'll try and be real quiet so I don't wake you." Rick left his cabin.

Kate removed her clothes then went into the bathroom where she attempted to get the shower to work. Success! Then there was air blowing everywhere including places air had never blown before.

Once dressed in Rick's shorts and t-shirt she rinsed out her panties and bra then hung them up to dry. Exhausted and using one arm she climbed into the upper bunk. She fell asleep while her mind replayed what she had told her dad. It was maybe the last time he was ever going to hear from her.

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

_Hi__, D__ad. _

_This is a recording so you can't actually talk to me. I was delivering something to the military just as one of them shot at Gort. That's the really big guy you see on TV in front of the alien ship that looks like a pyramid. I was injured in the battle, however the aliens picked me up and healed my injuries. It'll take me too long to explain why I'm trapped on their ship but I'm not a prisoner and I'm doing really well._

_The message they sent out is __very__ real and they will kill everyone if you make them. I'm told the military lost every piece of equipment but no one was killed. __T__hey'll probably say something else. Did you know that they were sending a B-2 bomber that had a nuclear bomb they were going to drop __o__n it? The aliens caught them and stopped it and that's why the military pulled out so quickly to keep from being blown up in a nuclear blast._

_I'm going to be traveling to their planet and try and teach them that humans are kind and nice. Even if we do have wars and they don't. It might be a lost cause but I'm going to try._

_You can sell everything and keep the money. I'm not sure I'm going to be needing it._

_I've met __someone__ and he's really nice but he's just a friend. Please don't worry about me, I'll be fine. I'll do my best to talk to you again. I just don't know when that will be._

_I love you__, D__ad__, __and I'm going to miss you but I__'__m alive and trying my best to stay that way._

_Bye_

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

Rick came back to his cabin to find Kate in the top bunk wearing his shorts and t-shirt. She looked peaceful and pretty. He wished he had found more but Kate was a little thin and rather tall so he didn't have much. They could go shopping when they got home. For now she was going to have to make do.

He wondered just what she was going to be doing. She would get a number of dates to speak about her planet but it wasn't going to pay her much. He also wasn't so sure what would convince his people that her people deserved a chance. Especially with their history.

Since they were in FTL in meant communications with anyone was not possible. Talking to anyone was going to have to wait.

Rick knew a few people but finding her a real job was going to be a challenge. He sat down at his table and using his screen, did a search. She was a homicide detective. They did have a homicide from time to time and one of their police ships would be dispatched to find who did the killing.

It was just that he wasn't sure Kate was a good fit for what they did. Then he found an old memo about something. It was going to begin as a small group and they were going to need protection. They were going to need a police unit and have it stay.

Rick pulled up a request for transfer for himself, his Gort, his maintenance crew, and for Kate. It would be hard work at first but it just might be something she could do without having to go through their police academy as she had called it. Satisfied, he sent it to Commander Borders for him to either reject and accept and pass it on.

Then he stripped down and would take a shower in the morning before spending the day with Kate. His job was over so long as they remained in space. He was a Gort rider. He needed to be on the ground and where he was willing to go to get both of them there would do just that.


	8. Chapter 8

**Home**

_Chapter 8_

_It is one week later_

Rick left Kate in the medical bay for her physical therapy session. He'd said he had a meeting to attend.

"How am I doing?" Kate asked her therapist as she actually bent her wrist, moved all of her fingers, and even lifted her arm a bit.

"You're doing fine, just fine. You've clearly been doing your exercises often." He liked her progress.

"Every chance I get," Kate admitted. Even when she was in bed trying to sleep she was trying to get something to move. And in the cafeteria while eating with one hand she was trying to get the other one to move.

"Good, keep it up and you'll be as good as new. Okay, new test." He handed her a ball and picked up a pad. "Squeeze that for me, as hard as you can." Kate tried to squeeze. She got her hand to close around the ball and did her best to squeeze. "Stop." Kate opened her hand and looked at the ball. It looked the same to her. "Squeeze it again for me." So Kate repeated the action.

"What's this accomplishing, exactly?" She hadn't tried doing this until now.

"I'm reading how strong your arm is at the present time. It should get stronger as you get better at this," he said.

"How strong?" Vader had really strong arms and hands if she remembered correctly.

"Well let's see. You said you were right handed so move the ball to your right hand and squeeze." He watched as Kate opened her hand, dropped the ball into her good one, then squeezed.

"Harder, hard as you can," he encouraged her and read how well she was doing. "You can stop." He took the ball from her and showed her his pad. "This is your natural hand and this is your new hand."

"But this says they're almost identical. That can't be right." She didn't think she was squeezing nearly as hard with her left hand. She was sure of it.

"Your arm's made of very dense alloys and is nearly a Gort unit and that's how strong your arm is."

Kate sat there and considered what he'd said. "That explains why they wouldn't let me go home with it. If they found out about my new arm they would take it from me."

"Your replacement arm is also powered. As you learn how to use your arm you'll learn how to apply more and more power. You're not supposed to be able to crush that ball with your arm, but you might come really close." He took his ball back and put it and his pad down.

"So some day my arm will lose power and become useless?" That was not what Kate needed to hear. She was just starting to get her arm to move and now she was going to lose it.

"You watched me plug into your arm, right?" Kate nodded. "Well that's also a way to recharge your arm. Any maintenance guy who's worth his salt can plug you in and recharge you. Also any maintenance guy who works with Gorts can repair your arm should that ever become necessary.

"We're done for today. Our last session is tomorrow before we arrive home. Just keep doing your exercises and you'll be fine in time." He left her sitting in the medical bay.

Kate actually lifted her arm and looked at it. "I'm part Gort?" She wondered if Rick knew that. It might explain why he was being so nice to her. He was literally the only friend she had here and it was only going to get worse when they reached a planet filled with people and she didn't have a job.

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

"Colonel Castle reporting as ordered, sir." Rick stopped in front of Commander Borders.

"Relax, Colonel," Borders said. "I got your memo about your idea. I will forward it to the council via our planet's representative. Mostly it will be his choice to accept it or not but he will need a majority of the others to approve it," he informed Rick who relaxed a little.

"You're sure this is what you want to do?" To him it sounded like Castle was binding himself to her. It was kind of him to help her but this taking things pretty far.

"Yes, sir. Kate's different in a way I can't explain," Rick told him since he was his commanding officer at the moment.

"I wish you luck then, Castle. We'll be home tomorrow and you'll be required to take your Gort to the manufacturer for complete maintenance following a deployment that involved combat. Have you discussed with her where she will be staying after we arrive?" He had one last concern.

"Not yet, no." Rick was willing to admit that he was a coward when it came to that. "I'll talk to her." It wasn't like he had a choice.

"Dismissed, Colonel." Borders had said all he wanted to say.

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

Rick chose to go to his cabin and take a shower while Kate was still with her physical therapist.

Kate was done with physical therapy and had found her way down and was standing in front of Gort and looking up at it. Down here up close it looked really, really tall. The she lifted her arm and looked at it. He'd said that her arm and Gort were made of the same thing. But her arm didn't look anything like Gort. The most obvious difference was the color. Though she supposed that they could color her arm to make it look like her real arm.

So what did it take to power up her arm and how often did she have to do it? She decided there was only one person to ask so she headed for the cabin they were still sharing.

They had gotten pretty good at sharing the room. It was a first for her. She had never shared a room with a guy before and she didn't count having sex with the guy in his bed. That was different. In this case they were living together.

She was also learning a lot more about him since they were almost never separated. They ate together, walked the ship together; he had even shown her the game room and had taught her how to play one of the games that was there.

Standing down here alone showed her just how much she missed him. He wasn't her boyfriend technically even if they did do everything together. Since she had a question she went in search of him and didn't find him in medical looking for her so she went to their cabin.

Rick was dry and since Kate wasn't here he was in the main room for a change looking for clothes, absolutely naked. They had gone to great lengths to make sure each got the privacy the other would want.

"There you are." She had found him. However he was naked. Kate clapped both hands over her mouth then quickly turned her back on him. But where her eyes had gone was going to be forever burned into her memory. Even soft Rick clearly had a lot to live for. He wasn't just good looking and very easy on the eyes, he was built where it counted.

"Sorry! I'm so sorry." They had done such a good job of avoiding seeing the other naked and now she had screwed that up. Still what she wanted to do was have another look and found that her head was starting to turn before she stopped it. "Sorry."

Rick was a little amused. He had been caught, something he'd tried to avoid doing, and now he was still standing there naked. He'd only ever had a hint of what Kate looked like without clothes, not counting that one day in the operating room where he'd seen one naked breast during her operation. Given she was wearing a t-shirt either with or without her only bra had allowed him to judge the size of her breasts and get to see erect nipples against the material, but that was it.

He did like her, really like her. This last week had proved to him just how much.

Rick only put on some shorts, walked up behind her, placed his hands on her shoulders, and turned her around. Kate saw he was still topless and cursed her eyes and her brain for looking down. He was wearing a pair of shorts. She'd learned to like him in shorts. It exposed his legs and he had been topless around her before. It was just now she was in his arms.

She finally got her eyes to look up and into his. This close she allowed herself to get lost in those eyes. "Sorry." Only now she wasn't sure if she meant it. Instead of answering her and telling her it was all fine, he kissed her.

Kate kissed him back. When his arms went around her Kate moved her arms to go around him. And when he used his tongue to ask for entrance she drove her tongue into his and the kisses got more passionate.

Then she felt her t-shirt being lifted over her head and she had broken from the kiss to allow him to remove it, then they were back to kissing. She felt him fumble a little with the clasp of her bra behind her back but it, too, was soon gone. Now her breasts were pressed into his chest and her hands and her chest only felt skin.

Kate managed to break from the kiss though she was still holding him close since she wanted to. "Rick?" Were they really going to do this. It had been a long time for her. Her blood had gone straight to her core and she was starting to get wet in anticipation of what was to come. She felt her heart pounding and she could still stop but that time was passing rapidly.

"Do you want me to stop?" Rick asked her.

"I… No… No!" Kate kissed him hard and realized that she really did want him; she wanted him badly.

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

She was sore, she was satisfied, and she was actually happy. He had proven that he did indeed have a lot to live for. He had been too fast for her at first since he was just too big for her. After she had gotten him to slow down so she could adjust to having his size inside her it had been amazing. He'd done everything she had asked of him. He had even surprised her a little when he had started licking her bung hole and low and behold she'd liked it and had climaxed yet again while he licked and worked two fingers in and out of her.

"I'm moving down here from now on," Kate informed him. It was just a twin bed and he took up most of it, but she would find a way to make it work.

Rick laughed. "I've been wanting to do that for days," he admitted.

"What took you so long?" Kate demanded. Now that they'd had sex they were going to have more and more of it. Daily, if that was possible. Rick chuckled yet again.

"Ready for another round?" Rick asked and saw her grinning at him.

"I get to be on top this time." Kate checked to make sure he had an erection and got herself into position. What she wanted to do was suddenly bury him deep inside her. However he was just too damn big for her at this point so she was forced to go slower until she adapted to his size.

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

The bathroom was tiny so they had to use it one at a time. Though this time neither of them bothered to get dressed until after they were both clean and dry and in the main cabin.

Kate did without a bra as she put on one of his t-shirts then tied it into place so that she was intentionally showing off her nipples.

"You're doing that on purpose, aren't you?" Rick questioned her as she finished tying it in place at her waist.

"Maybe, what are you going to do about it?" Kate flirted and found herself in his arms. She kissed him back when he kissed her.

"What's going to happen today?" They still had their arms wrapped around the other as Kate questioned him with their lips practically touching.

"You still have one more physical therapy session. If you mean when we get there we'll stop just outside of orbit. Then the four ships will exit, go down to the planet, and land at police headquarters. I'll have to take my Gort unit over to the manufacturer for mandatory maintenance after an engagement. While I'm doing that they'll send you to medical and ask you more questions than you've ever been asked before.

"You're from a planet that isn't part of us. And you're from a planet we just went to to inform them of their possible future and why we went there."

"Will they take my arm from me?" It might be a mechanical replacement but she thought of it as hers now. Especially just when the stupid thing was starting to work properly.

"They shouldn't." There was something he did need to talk to her about. "There is one thing, though." Rick hoped she wouldn't be mad at him.

Kate knew it. He was about to drop the other shoe. There just had to be bad news in all of this somewhere. "Let's hear it." Might as well get it over with.

"I have a job and you don't. But I had an idea and sent it to my commander who's going to forward it on. It will ultimately be up to our planet's council member who might need clearance from the full council. I don't know." Rick really wasn't sure what she was going to think of this.

He began trying to explain what he'd done. "I'm a Gort rider and a member of the police force. I know of a tiny moon that my planet plans to turn into a farm planet. We've been terraforming it for years and years now."

"A colony planet." At least that's what it sounded like to Kate.

"Not exactly. A true colony planet would suggest a planet in a different system. This is a tiny moon around one of our gas giants. It's almost ready. One of two, actually. I offered for me with my Gort unit to be assigned as the local police."

"Okay." Kate could see that. "And when they're done with me and happy with my answers?" How did where he was going affect her? Kate sort of hated it but he was all she had.

"My Gort unit is only mostly effective with spotting and removing weapons. Or people if necessary. Starting a fight that causes a death means instant death for that person. But it doesn't work well with people. It doesn't stop people from doing something really stupid before they've done it. I have a system to figure out who and when but I can't stop them first.

"You, though, were a cop on your planet."

Kate thought she understood what he was trying to do. "You want me to be a cop on this tiny planet."

Rick smiled which told her she was right. "You won't be in overall command. That will be me or someone else. I don't know what they're going to think of this plan. But you'll be working with people and talking them into not getting themselves killed by me or you and possibly working with families of the victims. There may be the odd instance where you'll be directly involved. Say someone takes too much medication or something and I can't reach my Gort in time to stop them.

"You'll have to go through some testing, though. Your planet isn't presently well thought of," Rick explained.

"So I would be part patrol cop, part homicide detective, and part counselor as I talk with families." Kate thought she understood what he was suggesting. "Will I be armed and what did you people do with my weapon?"

"That sounds about right. As for your weapon that's long gone. Will you be armed? I can't answer that. Even if you are it might only be a stunner and non-lethal. You'll learn more when they question you. Ask them some of your own," Rick suggested.

"You've been thinking of this for a while." Before they became lovers, certainly.

"A few days, yeah. So what do you think? Are you up to the challenge? I can't tell you much about the planet itself. How much it pays, where either of us will live, food, water, how long the assignment will be. There's still a lot I don't know and can't answer." He was filled with his own questions about what his plan was really going to end up being.

Kate couldn't believe she was even thinking this let alone about to ask him. They'd only just gotten together but he had proved he was a decent enough lover. He'd been nothing but kind to her; he did have a sense of humor and had even laughed at himself.

Besides he was all she really had here. If she didn't stay with him she would be all on her own and might not even have a job of any kind.

"Can we share a space?" There she had asked. She meant live with him and keep on having more sex. Kate watched him smile which told her what she needed to know.

"I can't tell you what it will be or how soon it or anything else will be ready. We may be at my place for a while," Rick warned her.

"I'll live." She might be a little bored but she was sure she was going to have a lot to learn. A whole different life and a real different planet. She was all set at one time to say aliens didn't exist and yet here she was about to land on an alien planet. She was certainly on an alien spaceship. She'd been able to look out with her own eyes and saw nothing but space.


	9. Chapter 9

**Home**

_Chapter 9_

Kate had just finished what might be her last physical therapy session. "Keep doing your exercises and get ready to adjust how hard you ask your hand, arm, or even fingers to do things. You're going to have to learn how not to apply too much pressure. You might go through a lot of glass before you get the hang of it." That was his idea of a little joke.

"Thanks for everything." Kate wasn't sure she would even be half this far without him.

"You still have several weeks if not months to go until you're at 100%. Good luck, Kate." He left her sitting in the medical area. Neither thought they would ever see the other again.

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

Kate was sure she wasn't going to like this but she sucked it up and tried to think she at least had some control. Rick wasn't in their cabin when there was a knock.

Opening the door she recognized the commander from when she'd been on the bridge earlier. "We've landed, Miss Beckett. I need you to come with me."

Kate literally had nothing to take with her. They'd gotten rid of everything. Her weapon, cuffs, badge, radiation detector, clothes, and even her boots. She was back in the overalls and the boots they'd given her.

"Rick said something about questions," Kate said as they walked to a transit pod that she'd come to know how to use with ease.

"You will be taken to this planet's police headquarters building. It's not that far. I've already alerted them and there will be officers or staff waiting for you." Borders took them down to the main floor.

Down there she saw the Gort was still here. Looking up she saw Rick was already inside it.

"Colonel Castle has his orders," Borders told her and walked her to the doors. On this side they were really tall and really big. More than big enough to get a Gort out through them.

Kate watched him stop next to the doors and saw a now familiar panel. "I'm aware of Colonel Castle's plan. Personally I don't hold out much hope for your planet, Miss Beckett. However, by the time your planet decides to test if we meant it I'll be long gone and won't have to deal with it. Having said that, I do wish you two luck. Castle is a good man. Life in the Police Force can sometimes be a lonely one. Give him a chance. Give yourself a chance. If you can change then maybe your planet can to. We're not murderers, Miss Beckett, but we will do our jobs." Borders pressed a panel and the massive doors opened.

Kate didn't get much of a chance to digest what he had said. Opening the doors showed both of them that two men were waiting for her. They didn't cuff her but they did look armed. They simply escorted her to a car, something Rick had said they didn't have any of. While they didn't go very far they were the only car she could see save for a few others that were just sitting there. Being in the back certainly felt like the back of a patrol car.

The building they took her to didn't look like any building she was used to seeing. It was green and it wasn't just green because of the color. It was green because it had plants hanging out of it on all floors including the roof.

Just like Commander Borders had told her she was taken to a medical area and after a nurse asked her lots of questions she was given a gown to change into. They actually took blood and asked her to pee into a container and while she wasn't sure since it didn't look familiar she was betting they now had x-rays of her.

She was eventually allowed to get dressed then was asked a number of medical questions. Most of them weren't at all easy to answer. How was she expected to explain cancer, heart attack, high blood pressure, liver trouble, and other conditions that they asked her about. None of which could be actively attributed to her.

Next she was released to the same two armed men who took her to another room inside the same building and left her there. It was bigger than the cabin she'd shared with Rick. It was also rather minimalist and not to her taste. It felt sterile to her. Maybe easy to clean but there wasn't much to it.

After looking around she found a tiny bedroom with an equally tiny bathroom. It was devoid of any windows so she couldn't see out. Just as she was headed for the door it opened and in walked a nurse who left her something to wear.

It was simple enough and felt rather thin and stretchy. Almost like crepe paper. Her new panties and bra felt like they were made of something else. She also found something else. "A tampon." Thankfully they'd had a supply of them on the ship and she was wondering if they knew something she didn't. She'd managed to lose track of time so she put it to use immediately.

But this room was beyond boring. There was literally nothing to do.

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

Two really mind-numbing days later she was taken from her room and they went downstairs to yet another room that didn't have any windows. She could almost swear she was in a basement or even deeper. Her two armed men opened the door and told her to go in. Once inside she found a lone chair and a small table that had three chairs behind it.

It looked like it was time for her to start answering questions. After sitting in what was clearly meant to be her chair she watched a wall slide open and in came two men and a woman who sat in the three chairs.

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

It felt like hours and maybe it was until finally she was told she could leave and was escorted by the same two armed men back to her really boring room.

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

Kate was sure it had been an entire week. They had come to clean her room, strip her bed, and provide her with new sheets twice. She had her meals delivered to her three times daily. Finally after a couple of days they'd figured out what she would and wouldn't eat so that was nice.

She had pretty much had it with the daily questions that lasted hours. However, yesterday they hadn't asked her any questions. They just left her to rot in her room with nothing to do. At least they'd brought her what she was willing to eat for breakfast and lunch, though.

Then something different happened. They always knocked before opening the door. But this time there was a knock but the door didn't open. Then there was a knock again. While she didn't get it she went to the door and opened it. "**RICK!**"Kate flung her arms around him and kissed him soundly. God, but she was happy to see him. He was the only friend she had here.

Instead of taking her out of the room he entered hers. Kate was really glad to see him so once the door was closed she slammed him up against the door and kissed him even harder.

Rick finally got to come up for air. "I'm happy to see you, too."

Kate smiled, let go of him, and stood back. She was acting like a damn horny teenager who didn't have friend in the world.

"How have they been treating you?" Rick asked as he stepped toward her to get closer again.

"Okay, I guess. They feed me three times a day. Clean the place and change the sheets on the bed. Question me for hours each day. I've done some interrogating of suspects in my time but these three are something else. If I have a secret these three probably know it by now." Kate laughed at herself.

"Well I do have some good news," Rick said and smiled.

"I can finally get out of here." Kate willed him to say yes. She would be a good girl, the very best good girl if they would just let her out of here.

"I was told I could come collect you and take you to my place. After we go shopping so you have something to wear," Rick told her.

"YES!" Kate grabbed his head and kissed him again.

"We do have one place we need to stop first, though."

Kate slumped. She knew it was too good to be true. Nothing in her life was ever that simple.

"We have to get you an ID so you can move around where you want to go. Even go to one of the other planets if you want," Rick said.

"Is that all?" She was sure it was going to be something worse. "Let's go, I've got nothing here." Kate walked toward the door only to find Rick wasn't right behind her. "What?"

"You're presently in limbo until they make a final determination about you. They also plan on attaching a monitor to you so they know where you are at all times." He had argued against it but he'd lost.

"House arrest… They don't trust me." Kate hung her head. She knew about those monitors. They were used on Earth, too. You could usually go where you wanted but some were made to limit how far you could go from a certain area.

"What am I limited to?" She was still going to be a good girl, she just wasn't going to enjoy it as much.

"Once we reach the building I'm in you can't leave it until they clear you." Rick knew something she didn't so maybe it would soften the blow.

"Wow, they really don't trust me, do they?" She was effectively confined to where he lived. This was going to suck. "Let's go and get this over with." Kate opened the door that finally opened for her and wasn't locked from the outside.

Rick took her hand and walked next to her. It made her feel better. At least someone trusted her.

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

Once outside she got a better look at the building she'd been in. It was still about five floors tall and was filled with plants.

Rick was walking away and headed for a much smaller building. Once inside Kate saw a door that had a word she couldn't read and a series of transit tubes. "Where are we going?"

"I don't live anywhere near here so we're taking a train. Until we get to my building you're my responsibility. Think you're trustworthy enough to last that long?" Rick teased her.

Kate teased him back. "I don't know. I'm a very dangerous woman."

"You'll just have to hold it together until we get there." Rick squeezed her hand and smiled at her.

Once down at the bottom of the tube they stepped out and made their way to what looked to her like an underground train station.

As they waited they finally saw a train come cruising in except it didn't look like any train Kate had ever seen. Yes, it was long and the platform they were standing at was equally long. However, the train was cylindrical in design. Totally tubular and she didn't see any tracks. It was also completely silent. "What kind of train is this? And what does all of that say?" The entire area was filled with words that she couldn't read. She'd been told she had a translator but it apparently wasn't meant for the printed word.

"We can fix the signs later. You remember what I told you about the underground train?" Rick asked her.

"Something about it going all over the planet. You use it like we use planes only yours is faster," Kate replied.

"That's the one," Rick confirmed and stepped in after the doors opened with Kate next to him. Kate sat beside him and waited.

Eventually they left this station and began traveling. But Kate had no way to figure out just how fast they were actually going until Rick turned on the screen in the back of the headrest in front of her and showed her. "That's us." He pointed to the red dot that was moving. They actually left a continent, went under an ocean, then into another one. Kate couldn't read anything it said, though.

Then it slowed down and entered a station. "This is us." Rick got up along with a few other people and they exited the train. Rather than going to the pods he took her somewhere else. Instead he took her to a different set of pods and entered with her next to him. She didn't understand but he seemed to know where he was going.

"Technically we can go straight to the building and your guy is probably waiting for us there, but I thought you might like to see it first," Rick said and suddenly Kate found herself outside next to a group of other pods. Going around a set of pods Kate stopped dead in her tracks. In front of her was the Pyramid of Giza only instead of stones, it was all glass.

"You live in that?" She'd thought it was going to be this little building like hers. She was going to be trapped with nowhere to go. This thing was massive. Then she saw him point. Where he pointed had her seeing three more just like it. This one was just the closest of the four.

Kate was all eyes as she went with him since he was holding her hand again.

They got through what to her felt like a large airlock of glass doors to get inside. Inside she saw a vast open area in the center and looking up she wasn't sure just what it was. However, she went with Rick to the center until she saw the familiar group of transit tubes. It was there that they found the person that was waiting for her.

She got two things while there. Sure enough he attached a thin band around her ankle and activated it. She was told that she couldn't leave this building under any circumstances save for a life-threatening situation. Then he had her hold out her off hand. Except he couldn't attach something to her arm so he asked for the other one. This one did attach to her arm. She was told that this was her ID and when she had a bank account it would also be her payment method. Then he thanked both of them and left.

Kate looked at it again and watched as Rick turned his on. Somehow she'd never noticed that before.

She looked around. In the distance was a park, a small pond, and a semicircle of glass-filled buildings.

"You need clothes and other things so we need to go shopping." Rick took her over to this long line of what looked like tubes only different. She watched him pull one out and opened it; she followed him into it and sat down.

"What is this thing?" They were just sitting there.

"A train car. We're going there. We just need to wait for the next train to come by. And here it comes now." He pointed and Kate watched a group of pods just like theirs went by then suddenly theirs started moving and literally attached to the last one.

"This is different." She had never seen anything like it.

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

Kate had two tops, two pairs of slacks, some socks, and a pair of shoes. "Can you afford all this?" It really wasn't all that much and she couldn't read anything. She understood everything everyone was saying but didn't understand the written word. The funny thing was she couldn't remember this problem back on the ship. Everything seemed fine there. So what made being here so different?

"The clothes here are either second hand or are outdated and no longer manufactured," Rick explained.

"Ohh." Relieved, Kate gave him what she had in her hands, went looking for a dress, then panties and bras.

Back outside they headed for that strange train again. "So where do you live?" Kate asked him.

"Up there." Rick pointed toward the apex way at the top.

"Oh, boy." Where he was pointing was up there.

"Afraid of heights?" She'd better not be because there was only one level above him and he couldn't afford to live there.

"No." Kate looked up again before sitting down with him and traveling to an edge.

"We only need one edge and it doesn't matter which one. We just need a transit pod," Rick explained.

"Why can't I read anything? I didn't have this problem on the ship." Kate didn't understand.

Instead of answering her question he asked for level 36 and the pod took off just like she was used to. Level 36 turned out to be about as close to the top as they were going to get though it did look like there was at least one floor above them.

This floor looked like it had just one apartment on each side. "There's one level above us and it's all one apartment. I can't afford to live there." Rick stopped at a door. "This is us. This is 36 C. From here we'll solve your reading problem but you might want to maybe take a shower and change clothes first."

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

Kate found a typical living room, dining room, kitchen, bedroom, and bathroom. He also had a balcony and the entire outer walls were all glass. Even the hallway that went around to each apartment was enclosed by glass so she could actually look down into the pyramid.

"You people must really like pyramids." Kate was at the glass that went out to the balcony and could see the other three pyramids from here.

"Noticed that, did you." Rick smiled at her. "The shower here is the same as on the ship." He watched her go to the bedroom where she'd dropped her clothes.

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

Kate was just starting her shower when suddenly she wasn't alone. "You want some help with your shower?" His shower was bigger than the one in his cabin on the ship. She smiled widely, put her arms around his neck, and kissed him.

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

Kate was wearing her some of her new used clothes and was going down in a tube to the ground floor. That seemed easy enough. Just find a tube and ask for level 36, walk around until she found their apartment, and place her hand on the door to unlock it. Biometrics, he had called it.

They took yet another train trip to the very same building they'd gotten her clothes from. Sadly this place didn't believe in high heels so she was wearing flats.

"What is it we're doing again?" Couldn't they have done this last time? Granted she had been walking around in clothes made of paper so maybe that had been a good idea. But instead of answering her question he just kept walking after they got off the train. Finally he entered a store that had pictures of eyes with words she couldn't read.

"My friend here needs translating lenses," Rick told the lady manning the store.

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

Kate soon learned they were talking about contact lenses. Except she was already wearing contact lenses which gave the lady a new challenge. She put Kate through a battery of tests for her eyesight just like back home, mostly.

Kate was shown her prescription that didn't really mean anything to her. Then she heard the cost and it was the highest number she'd heard yet. "RICK!?" He shouldn't be spending that amount of money on her. Except all he did was wave her off. They were told to come back in four days and they would have a series of lenses for her to wear.

Like her lenses she had to adjust to them before she could just leave them in for a longer period of time. What had been a surprise was that they would also work like sunglasses, binoculars, and would allow her to see in the dark. In addition to all that they would enhance her natural eye color, making that color more pronounced.

"You didn't tell me anything about them doing that." Now she understood the price. "And why did it work on the ship and not here?"

"The ship translated everything for you. You haven't asked why we look so alike." Rick looked human to her and that had been a question she had, she just hadn't gotten around to asking it.

"Okay, I'll bite, why do you and everyone else look human?" Kate waited for him to say something.

"Now that question is one I can't answer. However, you'll remember there are 6 other planets in this coalition." Rick saw her nod. "Well none of those 6 look anything like us. They also don't speak the same language, if you can call the clacking and clicking one of them makes, a language. The same for their written language.

"The ships translate all of it for all of us no matter what race is on the ship. You're now off the ship so you need contacts just like I do and happen to be wearing." Rick opened his eyes wide for her.

"Ohh." That certainly explained why his blue eyes were so damn blue.

"So home or would you like a tour of your prison?" Rick smiled widely.

"I'll take the tour of my prison, thank you." Kate leaned in to kiss him quickly since no one seemed to be around them. She wasn't a big fan of PDA but they were basically alone where they were.


	10. Chapter 10

**Home**

_XxxxxxxxxxXXX_

_Merry Christmas!_

_XxxxxxxxxxXXX_

_Chapter 10_

_It is one month later_

Kate was in the kitchen searching for a light snack. She wasn't really all that hungry but felt a need for something.

Rick was gone and she didn't know to where. The pyramid was large, however it wasn't nearly the size of New York City so it was beginning to feel confining. She hadn't tested her ankle bracelet or just what would happen if she did step outside. For one she didn't want to get Rick into trouble. Another was that for his plan to work she needed to be good. She had also promised herself that she would be a good girl.

While having the place all to herself was nice she realized that she didn't like it. Maybe that was why she was looking for a snack. She chose to abandon the snack and went onto the balcony so she could look out.

This entire planet looked nothing like what she was used to. The other three glass pyramids were right there. In-between all of them was an open park filled with green. Today's sky was blue with a few white clouds.

She'd learned that when it rained here, it rained. Like really rained. They were also prone to thunderstorms. Rick had told her that they had oceans and lakes and lots of places for them to go if they ever had the time.

Time. Something she wasn't sure either of them had a lot of for his plan to work. Rick had been keeping track of how the tiny planet was progressing. He'd learned that construction of everything was presently underway. They would send people that wanted to live there over there soon. That would mean the police had to be there waiting for them.

The pyramids blocked the rest of the view so she didn't see much else.

Kate was still outside looking the area over and even saw people in the parks playing or just relaxing. It was a place she couldn't go. Then she heard a knock on the glass and turned to see Rick motioning for her to come back inside.

Once back inside she found someone else that she didn't recognize. "He's here to adjust your monitor," Rick said.

"Not remove it?" It had been a month and she had been good and following the rules.

"Not yet. But I did talk them into this," Rick told her. Kate put her foot on a chair and watched as he ran something over her monitor. She had worn it long enough that she didn't even really notice it any longer. It was tight but it didn't really hurt.

"All done. Enjoy your trip." He let himself out.

"Trip? What trip?" Did this mean what she thought it did?

"We need to pack for a weekend trip and don't forget your two swimsuits," Rick said with a smile. Kate kissed him quickly and went into the bedroom to find something to shove a few clothes, swimsuits, and other things into.

"Where are we going?" It meant getting out of the pyramid so she was happy for that.

"I know of an ocean resort that I thought you might like so we have two days and one night to enjoy the area. You should like it." Rick was pretty sure she had never seen anything like it.

It didn't tell her a lot but taking swimsuits told her swimming was involved and something about an ocean.

"One night?" Why was she packing so much if it was only one night.

"We're moving from there to the desert and spending one night there as well before coming back home." Rick found a bag for himself and proceeded to pack.

Ocean and desert. Okay, that was going to be different. "Sunscreen?" She didn't want to get a sunburn.

"I'll get it." Rick retreated to the bathroom and came back with several items that he dropped into his bag.

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

Kate found herself on that underground speed train again. Though when they got off they got onto yet another train. Then finally they were in one of those transit pods that was also underground.

She had no idea how they'd done all this. Building on the ground or maybe in the air seemed easier so why had these people chosen to dig for everything?

They ended up in a group of pod tubes and stepped out into a small building. From there Rick took them across a walkway to a much larger building.

This building was where they checked in. It also had a tower filled with rooms but apparently they weren't staying in the tower. There was an indoor pool, sauna, restaurants, weight room, and a place to buy what you didn't bring with you.

Kate heard the woman at the check in desk say, "Bungalow 17. Go out the doors and walk down the boardwalk to your place."

Going out the doors Kate stopped to look. "WOW!" She had seen some pictures of a place like this before. If she remembered correctly it was in Bora Bora. They had these wood bungalows built over water with a boardwalk connecting them. This looked similar, however the bungalows looked like pyramids made of glass and they were indeed built on stilts over the water.

"You people have a serious issue with pyramids." Kate didn't get it but it was still gorgeous.

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

Inside was a little better version of their home on the 36th floor. She wasn't sure either location was really her, but it was different and nice enough. And she was out of her prison!

"Um, how do we get any privacy?" Kate asked once they found theirs. The entire thing was glass everywhere. She might be willing to take a few risks but this was far beyond that especially at night with all the lights on.

The boardwalk wasn't really boards. It seemed to be concrete save that it had two sides with trees, grass, and plants in-between acting as a barrier between each walkway. The very center of each walkway had been painted to resemble real boards.

Their place had two floors with the bedroom on an open balcony above.

"Like this." Kate watched as he pressed a panel and suddenly it got a lot darker inside as the windows darkened until it was pitch black inside. Then he lightened them back up.

"Oh!" That took care of that. Looking around she found a mini kitchen that allowed a small amount of cooking. But if they were only going to be there tonight she didn't think they needed it.

"Change into swimsuits and go swimming in the ocean or are you hungry?" Rick inquired.

"We can't skinny dip?" Kate teased and finally saw him blush.

"I'll keep that in mind for the next trip." Rick picked up his bag and went up the stairs to the bedroom so he could change.

Kate had her bottoms on and the halter top was tied and she turned her back to him. "Tie me, please."

Instead she felt him run his hands over her exposed skin. "You're sure you don't mean untie me, please." Rick was teasing her and she knew it. Since they had become lovers they'd been having sex daily for the entire time they had been there.

"Definitely later. But not just yet. So tie me, please." She was more than willing to have still more sex but not just right now.

"Your loss," Rick shrugged and tied her top behind her back. Once he was done he she spun in place, took his head in her hands, and kissed him.

"Definitely later," Kate purred.

They actually did have a deck and it had stairs going down to the lovely, crystal clear water. "Ladies first." Rick watched as she dived in and slowly swam away.

Rick caught up to her. "These things on my ankle and wrist better not short out and electrocute me." Kate was smiling when she said it and was betting it wasn't going to happen.

"Good thing I know mouth-to-mouth then." Rick smiled at her and got his face splashed for his comment. It was cute but he deserved it so far as she was concerned.

Then she squealed and tried to get away when he dived underwater to reach her. By the time he caught her the water was just shallow enough to stand on tiptoe and not drown. Which was a good thing since they had their arms around each other and were kissing.

When she felt his hands on her tie at her back Kate broke away from the kiss. "Rick, not here, please. Maybe after the sun goes down so no one can see." It wasn't that Kate didn't want to, she just didn't need to give everyone a show or have everyone hearing her screaming while she orgasmed.

Her request did manage to get him to let go of her but he didn't look angry. "I'll hold you to that."

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

They didn't even have to change clothes to get something to eat. Swimsuits were allowed. Kate had come with a light cover-up so she wasn't showing all that much skin.

After eating they went walking and found out that the place had an aquarium so they could see a lot of the sea life that was in the area.

"Rick, do you guys have anything like Disneyland?" Kate queried and found herself having to spend time explaining the place.

"Nothing like that that I know of. We do have something similar, though, if I understand the place correctly. We also have a number of waterparks if you want to try one of those. After I get you clearance to go there." She was still restricted to where she could go.

"My prison." Kate suddenly hated it and wanted it off. She wasn't dangerous. She wasn't some murdering psychopath. She was a cop.

Rick stopped her and embraced her. "You wouldn't be out here if they didn't have some faith in you. Give them a chance. They aren't shipping people out for a few weeks yet," Rick told her. Then suddenly his wrist unit showed he had a message.

"It looks like we're getting somewhere. They want you in police headquarters in three days. They want to start your training," Rick said which had Kate smiling. Then she frowned.

"My ankle monitor won't let me go there and isn't it really far from here?" If it was where they had landed it was one really long train trip from here.

"It sounds like they'll be adjusting that when we get back. I can even go with you and train next to you. If we're going to do this together we need to get used to each other. We need to think alike or this isn't going to work," Rick said seriously.

Kate was used to working alone but having Rick for a partner didn't sound that bad. "Just so long as you don't start reading my mind." She had secrets and she wanted to keep them.

"Holding out on me, are we?" Rick teased and held her a little tighter.

"Every girl has to have some mystery. How am I supposed to keep you from wanting some younger sexy thing that walks past?" Kate traced her name on his chest and looked at him flirtatiously.

"I may look but there's only one person who gets to feel my touch," Rick responded.

"Just so long as you remember that." Kate gave him a quick kiss.

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

The next day they took a tube to another train. It was one of the things Kate couldn't see to get used to. Every train was underground so she saw nothing and had no way to determine just how fast or how far they were going.

"Why underground? Just how safe is this? Wouldn't above ground be safer?" Kate asked him as they traveled.

"Underground means no weather. And there are trains traveling in each direction." Rick used his fingers point to each train as they went past each other. "Now while you don't see them each tube has two emergency tubes to either side that you can walk one direction or the other. In addition to that in both the main tubes and each emergency tube there are these safety stations.

"You enter the room and can close the doors behind you and lock them. These rooms are fireproof and they have emergency communications, water, food, beds, and oxygen units, including emergency oxygen masks and restroom facilities. You enter, lock yourselves in, and wait," Rick explained.

"You learn in school that years upon years ago we did at one time have above ground trains and even cars, then we started making changes. Too many train derailments and crashes and cars crashing because drivers thought they had the skill but didn't. So everything became automated.

"It works and each person isn't required to purchase their own transportation or anything else that goes with it. But while trains were great they didn't take you exactly where you wanted to go, forcing you to walk or want a car. That was when we started building these transit tubes.

"It's not my expertise but I would think you would need to know where everything is that's underground. Pipes for various things like water and waste. Then there's electrical just to name a few. I'm a Gort rider so don't look at me." It was about all Rick understood.

"If you want to try you can look out the windows and look for a lot of bright green paint. That will either be access to one of the emergency tubes or an emergency station." Rick was amused when Kate did just that.

Kate had no idea just how many she had missed before she was sure she saw a brief flash of green.

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

Another tube trip and they were in yet another group of them. Stepping out they walked onto sand. Actually everywhere she looked she saw sand. There were trees that reminded her of palm trees. There were other trees but she didn't recognize them. There were also tall grasses of various colors.

She saw walkways made from colored sand and thought she saw a pond with water it it. There were also a number of columns holding up the ceiling.

"Where are we?" She also noticed that it was a lot hotter here. A whole lot hotter.

"A desert. The sun beats down so insistently and continuously here that the ground above is as hard as a rock since it really is rock now. It hasn't rained here in years. I read once that the desert is slowly taking over the planet. Of course it will take hundreds if not thousands of years before it becomes a problem, but it's slowly expanding."

"So why are we here? Why come here?" This was the exact opposite of the last place.

Rick explained the draw. "If you want any kind of jewelry to go on any part of your body, this is the place to find it. It's all handmade and unique from any others anywhere else. This way, I think. We need to find our place then we can go shopping if you want. It's several miles long and all of it's filled with shops, homes, apartments, restaurants and all of it is down here. We can go up I think but it is hot up there."

Kate thought it was hot down here let alone up there.

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

Kate found their room to be totally unique. It looked like it was cut right out of the hard ground. It was a lot like living underground in a cave. There was an occasional tube that went up and provided light like a small skylight but it was just this tube. Except for the glass to either side of the front door there were no other windows or form of natural light.

It was cooler inside and very distinctive. "What do you think?" Rick was curious.

"A little dark maybe, I prefer a place with lots of windows like your glass pyramids but it's really nice." Kate ran a hand over the wall and it felt just as rough to the touch as it looked.

There was a table that had chairs on one side and a molded bench made out of the same stuff as the wall and ceiling and the same color. The only color in the place was the rugs, pillows, and other things.

Then she found the bedroom. It was maybe too dark but it was gorgeous. The bed she saw was raised above the floor using the same system that made the bench, walls, and everything else here. Even the closet was molded out of the rock.

After that there was the bathroom. It had one of those solar tubes. The countertop was sculpted using this stuff and even the shower looked like it. "This place is amazing." If there was just a few more windows she could really learn to like this.

They dropped their bags off, went back out into the heat, and went window shopping. At least until either of them found something.

Kate had never really been into rings but all of these were totally different from what she was used to seeing. She found one that looked like three bands held together side by side. The two outside rings were bright teal while the center one was white with teal feathers embedded into it.

Then there was one that looked like sterling silver and it had a large leaf with leaves made of turquoise. "OH MY!" Now this ring was gorgeous. It looked like sterling silver as well, however, it had what looked to her like a dragonfly on it made out of gems. The head was yellow, the body was purple while the four wings looked like a mixture of turquoise colors.

"She'll take it," Rick told the lady behind the table that was filled with handmade rings, necklaces and earrings.

"What? No," Kate said quickly.

Rick took it from her and slid it on her finger and then showed the lady who said come back in an hour. "She'll take it," he repeated. He paid for it and would be back later.

"You didn't have to do that, Rick." It was nice but she really didn't wear many rings.

"All we have to do is find a matching necklace, bracelet, or earrings." Rick wasn't taking no for an answer.

The jeweler had overheard him. "You want a matching necklace?" She searched her table until she found one. It was on a silver cord with a silver dragonfly that had a silver head and body and silver wings with turquoise in the wings. It wasn't quite an exact match and Kate shook her head.

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

A few shops later and wasting an hour they were back and she was ready for her. Rick slid it on her finger and held it up for Kate to see. It earned Rick a quick kiss even in public and they went back to window shopping.

Kate couldn't help herself. She was on the lookout for a necklace that was matched. So far nothing was really all that close. She found one that was sort of similar and looked it over while looking at her ring. But she put it back down and moved on.

Then she found one that was really close. It was a little different except the colored stones were mostly the same just in different areas. The head was blue while the body was yellow. The wings and the body were silver while in the wings were purple, blue and yellow gems.

Rick saw her smiling. "She'll take it."

This time Kate didn't put up a fight. She had left literally everything behind her on Earth and except for a few clothes she didn't have anything else.

"Now we just need earrings," Rick smiled, pleased that she was happy. Wearing her new ring and necklace, a smiling Kate went back to looking.

Kate actually found earrings that were a close match. It was just that they were too heavy and were a long dangling style. Her earlobes were never withstand wearing them for long.

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

They were actually running out of shops after leaving their room when Rick found something and called her over. "What about these." He held them up for her to see.

It was silver, had yellow head, blue and purple gems in the wings, and blue gems in the body with a silver tail.

Kate raised her finger and Rick lifted her necklace from her neck while she looked at the earrings. They were still a drop or dangle style but not nearly as heavy or long. It was the closest match so far.

"If this place doesn't have it you're never going to find them," Rick remarked.

Kate left the stand wearing dragonflies everywhere. "How do we get back?" It was a long walk, they had come really far and not really noticed.

Rick simply pointed at a transit pod station.


	11. Chapter 11

**Home**

_Chapter 11_

_It is now one month later_

Kate was leaning against Rick as they sat next to each other on the train home, ready to go to sleep. She was dead tired and nearly every part of her body hurt.

No sooner than they had gotten home from their little trip to the ocean and the the desert they had orders to to report to police headquarters to start training. True to his word Rick was right next to her.

Her ankle monitor had been adjusted. They'd added the train trip between home and police headquarters. The train might be fast but it still took time. They both got up very early and took the train. They'd begun with classes then they'd switched to learning how to take a house from an armed intruder.

After that had come testing using a very advanced fake city that was also part weapon range.

Kate was used to this training, however, her opponents had been cardboard figures that would either pop up or suddenly flip out from a corner. Here these instructors used advanced 3D figures that walked, ran, went up and down stairs, and even used transit tubes. Her weapon was essentially a light gun while she wore a vest, headset, and wraps on her arms and legs.

Her cardboard figures didn't shoot back. These did and once had even blown up, killing itself, herself, and Rick.

"You okay?" Rick asked after he turned his head and saw her eyes were closed.

"No… Yes... No one told me the stunner I'm going to be using hurt so much." Kate kept her eyes closed.

Today they had advanced to using real weapons. Stunners that overloaded your nervous system and rendered you unconscious. It worked similarly to the tasers she was used to, only these hurt a lot more. Her tasers didn't exactly render you unconscious, they simply rendered you unable to do anything. In most cases you were still conscious but couldn't move. These were different.

"I'd forgotten," Rick admitted. "How do you think you're doing?" That was one thing. It was a month later after starting all this and neither of them knew just how they were doing. Of course they had their opinions but their opinions didn't count.

"Your laws are amazingly similar to ours. But you have a lot of new ones I had no idea about. Your training town is far more advanced than ours. Are they supposed to push us this hard?" Her training to be a police officer had never been this hard.

"I'm a Gort rider not a ground police officer. This is new to me, too. Not the laws, certainly, but I'm not used to being outside of my Gort." Rick was almost sure she'd fallen asleep against him.

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

Kate had made it up to their apartment then crashed fully clothed onto the bed on her back. Rick was amused; he got a devilish idea and started to strip her. Initially it was to help her be more comfortable. Though once she was naked he stripped off his clothes and spread her legs wide slowly and carefully. Then he crawled in slowly so that he could start licking her core.

It wasn't until she grabbed handfuls of hair with both hands to hold his head in place that he noticed that she was awake.

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

They were both stopped before entering the training range the next day and taken inside.

"Colonel Castle, Miss Beckett. The transport for the colonists, for lack of a better word, will be leaving next week. We will have a Police Ship transport you two and your Gort unit at the same time.

"Construction of the buildings will be complete by then. Cargo ships will be going with you that will hold everything everyone will need. Furniture, bed linens, basically everything necessary. A team will start construction of the vertical farms inside the buildings as well as start work on the stockyards."

Kate was ready to scream. "What about my monitor?" She moved her leg forward a little so he could see it. Save that it was hidden under her pants.

"That will be removed before you leave here. You will receive your authorization and weapons on the Police Ship. You only need to pack your clothes. Everything else will be provided for you.

"You two have one week of training left so get started." He left them alone and the second the door closed Kate finally screamed, leapt at Rick, and kissed him soundly. She was alive because of him. She had a place to live because of him. And now she had a job because of him.

One month of hard work was actually working out. She was going to be free of her monitor and she finally had a job. She would ask what it paid later.

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

Right now they were following a suspect, a fake 3D suspect that wasn't really armed but looked like he was, up a set of stairs to a roof. Kate was out in front with her fake weapon that only shot a light with Rick right behind her.

Once on the roof they found obstructions for him to hide behind all over the place. They automatically switched to talking using their hands and began the process of clearing the roof. While it was possible he had already run to the far side and jumped to the next roof they still needed to clear this roof first.

Kate was about half way done when she heard Rick scream her name. That wasn't how this was supposed to work. It would give away each of their positions so she worked her way to his side. Except she didn't see him.

A sudden fear clutched her heart and took her breath away; it literally hurt. "NO!" She went to the roof edge, looked down, and saw him lying on his back on the ground three stories down.

Kate got down on her hands and knees. "RICK!" Except he didn't move. "OH, GOD! Please, no. No, no, no." She frantically looked around for a way down but it was smooth with no way down. The only way down was to use the stairs they had used to get up here.

Kate flew down them, taking two or three steps at a time and literally jumped the stair railing to go faster. She kicked the door open and ran around the side. There she found two men were already with Rick.

"RICK!" Kate was down on her hands and knees yet again. "Please don't do this to me." She couldn't stop the tears and didn't even think of trying. Her heart was lying unconscious on the ground after falling off the roof.

She watched him being carried inside Police Headquarters and she followed right next to him. She refused to not follow where he went and stood next to him as a nurse looked him over.

Then suddenly he was awake. "BABE!" Kate took his head in her hands and made sure he was looking at her.

"What happened?" Rick croaked and reached up and wiped away her tears on one side.

"You fell off a roof. Please don't ever scare me like that again," Kate begged him.

"Did I?" Rick really didn't remember doing that. Then he found he was being kissed.

"You scared the life out of me," Kate said to him, touching her forehead to his. She kissed him again.

"He'll be fine. Nothing's broken. His vitals are fine and the scan shows no cuts. He may be sore for a couple of days, but he's fine. When you're up to it you are free to go," the nurse told Rick and left them.

Shortly after she left the two men that ran the course came in. "So you fell of the roof." One of them was a little amused.

"YOU THINK THAT'S FUNNY!? HE FELL OF THE DAMN ROOF!" Kate was ready to break every bone in his body pathetic excuse for a body.

"Every roof is monitored by a computer, Kate. The second he went over the side the air bags in the ground deployed for him to land on. They then released their air and retreated back into the ground. It's a safety device," he explained to both of them.

"Air bags." Kate was a little calmer. "YOU COULD HAVE TOLD US!" Now instead of scared out her mind she was pissed as hell.

"The idea of this place is to train you, not kill you. Just so long as you learn from your mistakes," the second man said.

"Perhaps you should try and stick to being a Gort rider. We've monitored Miss Beckett and she's better qualified for this type of work," the first declared.

"I'll try and keep that in mind," Rick said.

"You two are done for today so go home. We expect to see you both back here tomorrow," the second one told them. Both men went over to Rick to make sure he felt good enough to leave; if not they would send the nurse back in.

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

Kate had an iron grip on his arm all the train trip home. However, unlike most of their trips this one was done in silence. Rick didn't really have anything to say and Kate was lost in her own mind. She had a lot to think about.

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

They'd stopped to buy something to take home and eat. Now they were both sitting at home eating though both picked at their food.

Kate had reached a conclusion even if it did scare the crap out of her. She ceased pretending to eat and dropped her fork. "Rick."

"I'm sorry, Kate, so very sorry. I was sure I had spotted him and the next thing I knew I was falling." Rick wasn't really sure how he had gotten that close to the edge. Maybe he was too focused on their guy instead of where he was.

"I love you. I've fallen in love with you." Kate had reached a conclusion. She had guarded her heart after her mother had died and wasn't sure she was ready to be in love with anyone.

Hearing that Rick stopped playing with his food and dropped his fork. "You…love me." Kate might be scared but Rick's heart was soaring in the clouds.

Rick got out of his chair and was on one knee next to her; he'd taken both of her hands in his. Kate's eyes were huge. As if being in love with him wasn't scary enough now it looked like he was about to propose. She was even more scared.

"You love me." Rick said it again and saw Kate nod as tears started to fall down her cheeks. He stood up and bent down, gently holding her head with his hands and kissed her with all the passion he could put into the kiss.

When he broke away from the kiss Kate could now see tears in his eyes. "I fell in love with you weeks ago. I just didn't want to push you or scare you." Rick kissed her again.

"I'm scared," Kate confided and knew she was going to have to explain. She just wasn't sure how she was going to do that and not screw it up, not force him away.

"Scared? …Of me?" What had he done to make her scared? She wasn't making any sense.

"Not of you. _Of me_. I know I'm going to screw this up. I'll either force you away or run away. I'm not any good at this." Kate was sure she was going to do something and ruin this.

Kate watched as he got back down, this time on both knees. She looked down at him. She also found her hands back in his. "You think I'm not? …Not trying to be insulting here, but you're an alien. The races on the other planet don't look anything like us. I'm a Gort rider. Most women I tell that to never want another date. Police in of themselves are not always thought that well of. You're the first that even was interested in being in my Gort. Maybe you don't understand what that means. I haven't found anyone until I found you." Rick tried desperately to get her to understand.

Kate's tears didn't stop. They were both in the same mess. She was scared to death and he was scared. They were a hell of a couple.

"I'll try," Kate promised. "Please don't let me force you away." He had to keep coming back every time she did something really stupid and tried to force him away.

"I've put up with you this long." Rick smiled crookedly at her. She laughed and leaned down to kiss him. "So is it too early to ask you to be my mate? I think you call it marriage." Rick grinned at her since he was sure it was.

"Very." Kate wiped away her tears and kissed him again.

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

The sex that night had been the very best yet. She loved him and she could let herself love him and found that sex when you were in love was even better.

"Babe, can I end up pregnant?" She couldn't believe that she hadn't asked anyone before. They'd been having sex daily for weeks. Months, really. The fact that she wasn't already pregnant could only be a handful of reasons: she either couldn't get pregnant at all; she'd been lucky; or since they were both aliens, she couldn't get pregnant.

"Not unless you want to be," Rick answered while they were holding onto each other and naked in bed after making love.

"I don't understand." That answer hadn't helped her any.

"Our two races are compatible enough, just not compatible enough without a little help. One of us needs to take an injection. I need to turn something off or you do. Then it's just like any other couple," Rick explained and saw her questioning face looking back. "I asked months ago. We're both capable but we can't have children until we're both ready."

Rick watched as her smile blossomed. "In that case I'm on top this time. I want to fuck your brains out." Kate was sure she was going to be having more sex than she had ever thought possible since she wasn't going to get pregnant until she wanted to be.

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

To Kate's thinking, their shuttle was more of a bus. It was mostly just a bunch of benches for everyone to sit on. Their clothes in bags were under them somewhere along with everyone else's.

The main drawback was that Kate was traveling alone. To get Rick and his Gort to the planet he had to travel by Police Spaceship. Still Kate was happier than she'd been in a really long time. She was in love and she actually wanted to be in love.

After landing Kate exited the bus and wasn't surprised to see a Police Spaceship that looked like a pyramid was already there. Not only that but she watched as Gort stepped out of it.

Of course she knew who was inside it but seeing that thing was damn scary to watch. She hadn't seen it in combat since **she'd** been running away and then unconscious for most of it, but Rick had told her what it was capable of doing and it sounded scary.

Kate bit her lower lip to keep from smiling as the people around her also saw it and they started talking. Most felt better with having it here had to admit that seeing one in person was scary. Maybe this job wouldn't be so hard after all.

Kate finally found her bag and started following everyone else. Until she made it around the bus and stopped.

In front of her were nine buildings side by side by side and they were all 6 maybe 7 stories high. Instead of being the pyramid she was expecting, these were round and had very large balconies. The ground floor looked like it was open to the outside and it was barren.

In addition she saw that they were all built in an arc and a concrete park was between her and the buildings. The park looked incomplete somehow. Like something was missing. They clearly weren't done just yet.

She caught a hint of a lot of large square buildings beyond. The bus had parked on a pad that was actually over hanging the ocean. There were stairs and a large ramp leading down to the ground.

"Wow!" Kate went back to looking at the round building that was closest to her. She could swear that each balcony had planter boxes. It was just that the roof looked like it was flat so she was wondering what they had planned up there.

It looked like Gort had found a space beyond the round buildings since it had stopped.

Kate had a card that showed where their home was. At that time it had sounded rather cryptic to her. Now it was starting to make sense. 3618 made sense. Building number 3, which ever one that was. Sixth floor, unit number 18.

Since no one seemed to be in charge or at least no one was speaking up, Kate started yelling.

"Make sure you have everything you brought with you and you're all together. I'm going to call the building on the far left as being number one until I learn different. Find your home and get settled in. After that make a list of everything that needs to be worked on. Something's broken and needs fixed. Things like that.

"Once you've created your lists come back down here and find me. I'll gather them all up and send people out to fix it. Tomorrow, after we've all moved in and we've found food to cook with and gotten used to our respective buildings, we'll go look at where you all work and then do the same thing there. Then we will search everywhere else." Kate was pretty sure she had everyone's attention.

Kate clapped her hands a few times. "Let's get started." She stood right where she was and watched most of them begin walking. What she hadn't noticed was that hers wasn't the only bus and the fact that she had been yelling was a good thing, because there were a lot of people.

A number of them walked to her. They wanted to know who she was.

"I'm the Police here. My name is Kate Beckett. My…" Kate wanted to say boyfriend but was he? And did that word translate properly; was boyfriend what she really felt about him? "The man I love most is a Gort rider. That's him way over there." Kate pointed at the Gort that was about the tallest thing around here. "I've even been in it. Really cool, let me tell you."

Kate waved her hands. "I know it's not for everyone, but I loved it. We're both very good at our jobs. I myself have been involved with one police department or another for almost 13 years now." She knew she still had to go to the Police Ship to get her gear to be Police.

"So go find your new home, make your list of what's wrong, and come back here. I'll be here waiting. My new home can wait." Kate shooed them away so they could move in.

A voice she recognized called out to her. "Miss Beckett."

"Hi!" Kate smiled at seeing him. "Commander Borders, right?"

"Very good. I see you've made it and I heard what you called Colonel Castle." He was happy for both of them.

"Yeah, he finally got through my walls. …This place is interesting. I'm not sure it's what I was expecting," Kate was willing to admit.

"Well this planet is tiny and this is the only land mass. The space port isn't really completed yet." He waved his arm toward the landing pads the buses had landed on. "Your homes are complete at least. The buildings beyond are the vertical gardens and all of the other buildings handle clothing and other things. Beyond that is all the farmland which supports those plants that can't be grown in the vertical gardens. Beyond that are the stockyards.

"There are no trains here, it's all transit pod. There are stations in each housing unit and two stations in the center, two more stations in the farm area, and another two stations in the stockyards.

"Once the space port is done it will double as a boating area which aren't here yet since it's not ready yet. There's some beach area, however, most of it is cliffs," Borders explained in the event that she didn't already know.

"These are for you." He pointed out the man with him who was carrying two suitcases. "These are all the uniforms that you will require as well as shoes. And this you will need to sign for. Only police officers, as you have learned, are allowed to have any weapons of any kind even if it is just a stunner." He handed over the belt that had her stunner in it as well as a pad for her to sign.

"Good luck, Miss Beckett. I'm happy to see that you gave yourself a chance. Maybe there's hope for your planet after all." Borders left her to her job and her life.

"I hope so too," Kate told the empty space where he used to be.


	12. Chapter 12

**Home**

_Chapter 12_

_Epilogue_

_It is one year later_

"Hi, babe!" Kate was headed home and bumped into him the open market that was on the ground floor of their building today. He was clearly buying fresh produce for them.

"Hi." They gave each other a quick kiss. "How was your day?"

"I know you said people can't have weapons even as tame as my stunner, but that doesn't mean people don't have weapons," Kate said and helped him look for good produce.

"Uh-oh." Rick stopped looking and she now had his undivided attention.

Kate gave him a clue about what her day was like. "Apparently people can get divorces here, too."

"It does happen. We may call it being mated for life but that doesn't mean people always see it that way," Rick admitted.

Kate picked something, smelled it, and handed it to him. "Apparently it can get mean, as well." She reached for another one just like it.

"Love gone bad can be just as emotional as the original love. …What did he do?" Rick inquired.

"More what she did," Kate replied.

"Really! Never underestimate a woman or what anyone might possibly be capable of. We may have gotten rid of the weapons and armies but every race is full of emotion." His race wasn't perfect. They simply had a system to prevent the worst a race could do to either itself or someone else.

"Yeah, well now he's in Medical and she's in my jail. She'll get shipped out when the next police ship lands here." Kate only had to hold onto her for a little while. "How was your day?" Kate approved of another one and was done searching.

"I spent it doing a survey of our little planet. It came up clean except for your weapon which I found easily. I think I scared a lot of animals, though, so you may have someone pissed off at me tomorrow." Rick apologized in advance before someone yelled at her.

"They'll live. …Have we got everything?" Kate asked.

"Just need the meat and I'm good." That had both of them walking to that area. "Red, white, or seafood?" Rick asked her since they had everything. It was all local and very fresh.

"Seafood, please," Kate said and let him look and choose.

"I still can't believe how your people do vertical farming." It was something she had known nothing about.

"Interesting, isn't it? You build these metal cages from the floor to ceiling as high as you want. Put lights above each level and spray nutrient enriched water at the hanging roots. No dirt involved. The lights use almost no electricity. You just need water and nutrients. The only real drawback is that it only works for leafy vegetables. Some still require dirt hence the farmland not far from here." Rick understood the concept. He just hadn't seen it until here.

"We have acres and acres of farmland in a fraction of the ground area a normal farm has. It's amazing." Kate still loved it.

"All done." Rick had what he wanted and had paid for everything. Now they just needed to walk over to a tube to reach their floor. Place a hand on the door and go inside.

Over the year Kate had made the place look more like her. It had initially been like all the other apartments. A little too white and minimalist on the inside for her taste. However, now one year later and with a little care their plants on the patio were now going over the railing and beginning to hang down.

There were even potted plants out front. Kate had also found out why the roof of each building was flat. It was a green roof and was filled with plants that were mostly herbs used for cooking. Then there was the ceiling just under the roof in the very center of the building. Someone had painted an assortment of murals for each of them. Theirs looked like a vegetable farm. The entire place was almost living and alive.

Kate had finally gotten a couple of walls painted a nice vibrant color instead of plain white. One on the living room and one in each of the bedrooms. Every apartment had been either three or four bedroom with two full baths. Even if they didn't use all of the bedrooms or filled them with children.

Rick began prepping dinner though Kate would be doing all the cooking. She had proved to be better at it than him. But he could still start it. "Oh, I found this at our front door when I got home." He handed her a mini pad.

Kate turned it on and skimmed it. It was a list of repairs that were needed for various buildings. "AGAIN!?" Kate didn't understand what was wrong with that apartment. It was always something and it was never the same thing each time.

"Maybe it's ghosts or gremlins" Rick knew just what she was talking about and had no useful answers for her. He didn't get it either.

"There are no such things as ghosts and even if there were, why is it just them? No one has died since we've been here." Kate didn't get it. "And gremlins hate sunlight so it isn't that either." She used an old movie from Earth to deny it was that.

Just then a crack of lightening sounded. "Uh-oh," Rick said since that sounded like everything was going to get wet. It also meant the farmers market downstairs might be closing in case the rain came with wind and blew sideways into the market.

"I forgot to water the plants anyway so let it rain." It would save Kate and their plants from her bad memory.

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

Kate was cooking when suddenly she felt Rick's arms wrapping around her from behind. She loved him deeply. Yes, they'd had a few fights and more than one was because of her and her fears. But it still had her humming from the feel of his arms.

"Still miss Earth?" Rick questioned her.

"On occasion. I wonder how my friends are doing. What my dad's doing. I know I was able to leave him a message but it was so short and I couldn't tell him much mostly because I didn't know what to tell him. When Mom died he became an alcoholic. I really wish I knew if he had fallen again." She had left so much behind when she had left. She had even left behind finding out who had killed her mother.

While not knowing still hurt, it didn't hurt nearly as much as it used to. Rick had filled her heart so it wasn't nearly as heavy as it used to be.

"Well, I put in a request for you to send another message," Rick told the back of her head.

That had Kate turning to face him with a look of shock which was replaced with even more love for him. "What did they say?" She would kill for the chance.

"They haven't answered me yet, but maybe. Just don't get your hopes up." Rick kissed the side of her neck.

"Too late." For Kate it was already far too late the second he had told her. "You think my chances are bad?"

"Depends. Maybe we'll have a ship that will be going past it to explore the next system over. Find out if there's another Earth that needs to be talked to. I really have no idea." Rick kissed behind her ear.

Then Kate kissed him for thinking of her. She turned to finish their dinner and was already thinking about what she wanted to say this time.

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

Kate stripped off her clothes, climbed into bed next to him, and let herself be enveloped in his arms. It felt safe and comforting and she knew that he loved her.

"What do you think my chances are in being permitted to go home for a quick visit?" Maybe instead of a message she could see and talk to them.

"Rather poor, actually. Not because they don't trust you. Just what would you tell them? Will they let you talk about where you've been and are staying? …And I'll admit that I don't want you to go. You might decide that you want to stay and have me move there with you." Rick truly was afraid she might ask that of him.

Actually that idea hadn't occurred to her but she was thinking about it now. It was just that she knew he wouldn't fit in there. He would be totally lost. Even more lost than she had been when she found herself here.

"No, I wouldn't do that. Earth might be home for me but it's not for you. Besides, I might have a home here." Kate had something she wanted to talk about because she thought she was ready.

"Good, you're definitely wanted here. A lot of the people that live here even just in this building are your friends now. How many of them call you Kate instead of something else?" Rick queried.

That had Kate thinking and he was right.

"And don't forget about your arm," Rick reminded her.

Kate sighed. She actually had forgotten all about her arm. Her arm worked perfectly now. She didn't even really think about trying to get her arm, hand, or fingers to do something. It just happened like it always had.

"Yeah, if they found out about my arm." Kate had little doubt that they would try and take it from her. Maybe even kill her to get it. This place would never let her leave to go to Earth with her arm. "Message it is, I guess." It really was the best she could hope for.

However, there was one more thing she wanted to talk about. "Babe. This is home now so maybe we can start a family. What do you think?" They hadn't even talked about children save for what it was going to take. She didn't hate kids she just hadn't really thought much about having kids until now. So what did he think about having kids?

"I'll talk to Medical in the morning as to which one of us needs a shot or if both of us do. We need to talk to them anyway. Say I can get you pregnant. Will that mean our children will have deformities or an increased risk of diseases? Will we be dooming our kids because we want to have a family?" Rick didn't want to do that to them.

Kate actually hadn't thought about that. Maybe what she was asking was doomed before they even started. Her heart was taking a beating over what his fears and her imagination was doing to their kids.

"We need to both go to Medical tomorrow. We may even have to ask to go to the home planet to find the right doctor. But I'm game if you are. I'll put in the request if our local Medical can't help us," Rick said.

Kate turned so she could face him. "Yes, please."

"Consider it done," Rick assured her. "We could get in some more practice until then." He kissed her above her heart.

Kate smiled broadly. "I'll get the camera." She jumped out of the bed to find it and get it set up.

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

Kate should have been at work most of today. Instead she and Rick were in Medical having samples taken and then more samples as well as having every part of their bodies scanned, or so it seemed.

They'd been left alone together in the same room; it had been over an hour when finally the doctor came back.

"You two!" These two had given him the challenge of his life.

"We can't do it?" Kate had feared a negative outcome so badly that she couldn't help thinking it.

"I'm sorry for the delay but I needed Dr. Bean to be available. He's far more qualified than I am for this. We've both reached the conclusion that it can be done." He paused.

"Here comes the but." Kate was still in the it-can't-be-done mode.

Doctor Hanson continued, "In order for this to work and not risk having your child with an unwanted disease you two are going to have to conceive under the direct supervision of Dr. Bean. Shots for both of you. Then the second she's certain that you have conceived she's going to have to do as many tests as necessary on your zygote to make sure it will be healthy.

"Now keep in mind that if she does find something really bad that doesn't mean your baby will die. It might mean that it will be mentally challenged. Possibly have a deformity. If it does you will be given the option to end the pregnancy and try again. It might be something simple as the wrong shot.

"Having said that, Dr. Bean is going to offer having the baby conceived outside of your body. Then once everyone is happy with the potential outcome she'll take it and impregnate you and you will have a normal birth. It's not impossible but there will be some future challenges. Dr. Bean is willing to help you if you elect to try. However, you can't do it here. Once you're pregnant you can come back and I can deliver the baby just like normal.

"Go home, talk about it and let me know, and I'll inform Dr. Bean. Between all of us we'll find a way to get you to her and then back here."

Kate looked at Rick but didn't say anything. "We'll do it. We'll decide what to do if there are issues when that time comes," Rick told him.

"I'll get things started on my end. I look forward to delivering a nice healthy baby. Keep in mind if or when this works and you want another one you're going to have to go through all this again," he warned them both.

[] *(X)* [] *(X)* [] *(X)* []

_It is now 6 months later_

Rick and Kate were back in their medical center back at what was and had been home for a while. The nurse had seen both of them and had paid more attention to Kate.

"Mr. Castle, Mrs. Castle. I'm told you two got married while you were there. I trust it was all you hoped for?" Doctor Hanson asked them.

"It was beautiful. It was perfect." Kate gave Rick a quick kiss. She even had another ring to go with her other one only this one was on her wedding finger.

"I was also told that you're pregnant and everything went perfectly even if it did take a little time." He was doubly happy for them.

Rick rolled his eyes. "It was exhausting."

"Not to mention intrusive and embarrassing." Kate rolled _her _ eyes.

"I warned you. So was it worth it to you?" He was betting it was since they were both smiling.

They both answered at the same time. "Yes."

"Dr. Bean suggests that you come in every month. Everything looks great and in a few months we'll have a nice healthy baby. Congratulations are in order." They had gone through a lot just to have one baby. "Did she tell you the sex of the baby?"

"She did and we're having a boy." Kate didn't care either way just so long as it was healthy.

"You'll need his name soon so I can keep my records straight. No pressure." He didn't want to keep calling the baby an it.

Ryder James Beckett-Castle.

She was married, she was pregnant with a perfectly healthy baby, she had a job to keep her busy, and she was about to have a family.

She was HOME.


End file.
